In an expansive interview with The Athletic’s James Pearce, Diogo Jota has revealed that a refusal to give up, despite all the challenges faced in his career so far, has helped him achieve his goals.
In a frank discussion, ranging from the Portuguese’s experience in the youth ranks at Gondomar to his love of Football Manager, the forward was keen to emphasise the role the setbacks in his career had in forging the player he has become.
“I think my journey shows that the secret is that you should never give up. That’s the main idea,” Jota said. “Every experience you have, every setback, it always makes you stronger and that was the case with me. Of course, everything could be good now but it wasn’t before. You always have to keep striving for what you want to achieve.”
We’ve been in awe of the former Wolves man ever since Jurgen Klopp brought him to Anfield for £41million [BBC] – a figure that now looks paltry compared to what the forward will now be worth, in consideration of his current blistering form for Liverpool.
The Portugal international is yet another reminder of the brilliant work done behind-the-scenes in identifying players that fit perfectly within the ethos of the club and Klopp’s arguably unrivalled brand of football.
With Jota set to be briefly reunited with former manager Nuno Espirito Santo, and his Wolves side, we’re looking forward to seeing how one of our newest Reds fares with a (small) Anfield crowd behind him.