20 Astonishing Facts About Diogo Jota

The world of football was thrown into mourning on Thursday following the tragic death of Portuguese international and Liverpool forward, Diogo Jota in a car accident in Spain.

Below are 20 Astonishing facts about the late football star who died at 28.

1. Portuguese Prodigy: Born in Porto, Diogo Jota began his football journey with local club Gondomar before joining Paços de Ferreira’s youth setup in 2013 at age 16.

2. Record-Breaking Debut: Jota became Paços de Ferreira’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Primeira Liga at 18, netting a brace in a 3–2 win over Académica de Coimbra on 17 May 2015.

3. Hat-Trick Hero at Porto: On loan at FC Porto in 2016, Jota scored a first-half hat-trick in a 4–0 victory against Nacional on 1 October, showcasing his clinical finishing.

4. Champions League Breakthrough: Jota marked his UEFA Champions League debut with a goal in Porto’s 5–0 thrashing of Leicester City on 7 December 2016.

5. Wolves’ Record Signing: Jota’s permanent transfer to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2018 for €14 million was a landmark deal, following a stellar loan spell in the EFL Championship.

6. Championship Star: In the 2017–18 season, Jota scored 17 league goals for Wolves, finishing fifth in the Championship’s top scorer charts and helping secure Premier League promotion.

7. Premier League Pioneer: Jota became only the second Portuguese player to score a Premier League hat-trick, achieving the feat for Wolves against Leicester City on 19 January 2019, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s milestone 11 years earlier.

8. Wolves’ Historic Hat-Trick: His 2019 hat-trick against Leicester was Wolves’ first top-flight hat-trick since John Richards in 1977, cementing Jota’s place in club history.

9. FA Cup Glory: Jota’s winning goal against Manchester United in the 2018–19 FA Cup quarter-final on 16 March 2019 propelled Wolves to their first semi-final since 1998.

10. Europa League Excellence: Jota scored an overhead kick in Wolves’ 4–0 Europa League win over Pyunik on 15 August 2019, highlighting his acrobatic flair.

11. Rapid Hat-Trick Record: On 12 December 2019, Jota scored a hat-trick in just 12 minutes against Beşiktaş in the Europa League, one of the fastest trebles in the competition’s history.

12. Liverpool’s Big-Money Move: Jota’s transfer to Liverpool in September 2020 for up to £45 million made him one of the club’s most expensive signings at the time.

13. Historic Liverpool Milestone: Jota scored Liverpool’s 10,000th goal in their history against Midtjylland in the UEFA Champions League on 27 October 2020.

14, Scintillating Start: Jota became the first Liverpool player since Robbie Fowler in 1993 to score 7 goals in his first 10 appearances for the club, including a hat-trick against Atalanta in 2020.

15. Anfield Record Setter: In November 2020, Jota became the first Liverpool player to score in each of his first four home Premier League matches.

16. Domestic Double Winner: Jota played a key role in Liverpool’s 2021–22 EFL Cup and FA Cup triumphs, scoring crucial goals and converting penalties in both finals’ shoot-outs.

17. Merseyside Magic: Jota provided three assists in a single Champions League match for Liverpool against Rangers on 12 October 2022, aiding a 7–1 rout.

18. Premier League Player of the Month: Jota’s five goals and two assists in January 2024 earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award, stepping up in Mohamed Salah’s absence.

19. International Stardom: Jota scored twice in Portugal’s record-breaking 9–0 win over Luxembourg in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier on 11 September 2023, their biggest-ever international victory.

20. Nations League Champion: Jota capped his career by winning the 2025 UEFA Nations League with Portugal, scoring in their penalty shoot-out victory over Spain in his final match.