Diogo Jota - He was one of us | OneFootball

Every time I try to think about getting my head around Diogo Jota's passing, my brain enters a state of denial where I can't understand that it's real. One of the Reds' very best, gone in a flash.

The players we watch week in week out are our idols. They are living every football fans' dream every day and yet we don't resent them for it, we support them with all our hearts in their efforts.

Whether it's something that non-football fans can comprehend or not, we become attached to these players. The pain we feel when we think about Jota's passing is like losing a friend or a family member, it doesn't feel real, it probably won't sink in for quite some time and we will inevitably grieve.

Be this through watching compilations of the best moments of his career, or reading the tributes painstakingly written by those closest to him, his family, his teammates and his friends, it all makes us feel emotional and that's okay. In our own way, we adored him and his loss matters to us.

But what made Jota standout was the way he walked through life. Growing up in humble beginnings, he lived a live that every football fan would've dreamed to have and his persona was like seeing a reflection of yourself on the pitch. It is through this perspective that I want to remember him by.

© IMAGO

As soon as he arrived on Merseyside in September 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, Liverpool fans got to know him. He filmed his first day with the club himself because there was a very limited media team. After he put on the Red shirt, he said 'What's appenin', a nod to his new supporters.

Straight away he wanted to fit into his new surroundings and it set the tone for his Liverpool career.

Across five seasons he scored 65 goals and every single one of them meant something. Be it consolidating a lead in classic fashion - '3-1 Jota' which was posted on social media during most games as he strived to ensure he was taking three points back home with him - or through delivering a decisive moment in a game that needed a bit of clinical edge, the Portuguese striker was ready for every occasion.

Take his last Liverpool goal in the Derby match against Everton at Anfield, where he wormed his way through the Blues' defence to win the contest, reminiscent of the similarly audacious effort he scored against Arsenal, sitting defenders down as he dribbled past them. Both breathtaking finishes.

Furthermore we will never forget his remarkable ability in the air, scoring headers against towering centre-backs. Despite his 5ft 8in stature he was unbeatable at times. His last effort using his head was against Nottingham Forest, seconds after he was substituted onto the pitch he made an impact.

And in the heat of battle, he'd fight tirelessly to get the ball back. Regardless of his off the pitch persona, which I didn't get to experience, he was incredibly committed to the team and its success, and letting other teams know about their failures. In essence, he was playing just like a Liverpool fan.

© IMAGO

Now as mentioned, I sadly never got to meet him, but we have a decent understanding of what he was like off the pitch. The heat of battle never stopped, he merely changed medium over to his video games, where he was an avid FIFA player, streaming his efforts online.

If he was ever injured and sidelined to a period of recovery, he'd be playing football in another way.

Rarely will you find that you can relate to a player. They're capable of skills that we can only dream of pulling off, they earn obscene amounts of money and they life illustrious lifestyles from what we see.

But Jota was different. Every fan who are up watching the beautiful game wished they could live their childhood forever. Playing video games and being a professional footballer. Jota got to do that.

At heart Jota was a human being, and you felt connected to him through his relatable character. In reality we care for these players more than we often let onto, but this tragic accident that has devastatingly taken the 28-year-old from us, is a sombre reminder of just how precious life is.

© IMAGO

In place of the connection we had with Jota is now an emotional bond that will keep his memory alive.

He made an imprint on our lives, giving us joy when we least expected it. He was a figure we all adored and now that we're faced with his absence for the rest of our lives it hurts.

A quote which I feel is quite apt for these circumstances is from Andrew Garfield, who once said, 'the grief we are dealing with is the unexpressed love we didn't get to tell them'. Every match Diogo's chant was belted out but very few people actually had the privilege of meeting him in real life.

Moving forward, we should strive to keep his chant alive. Whether his shirt number is retired or not, he will always be our No. 20, and his spirit will live on in our minds forever.

My heart goes out to his family, his friends, he teammates and anyone struggling to deal with his loss right now. In time, our pain will fade and transform into love and adoration for what he was - a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend and a football player who we will all miss dearly.