Last Liverpool goal had special meaning for Jota
The Portugal forward was on his way back to England to start pre-season training after helping Liverpool win the Premier League title last term.
Jota's final goal for Liverpool was the vital winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield in April.
Speaking in an interview just weeks before his death, Jota admitted he felt proud to be able to contribute to Arne Slot's team by scoring in such an important game.
"It was a very tough season for me but I was always there fighting and I could help the team that day and I'm proud of what I could still do," he said in the documentary titled "Champions 24-25: The Inside Story".
"It's hard to describe. That's the feeling I look for when I play football, that's why you put all your life and all your efforts to moments like that, moments where you can decide an important game."
Jota, 28, spent five years with Liverpool after joining from Wolves in 2020.
He won the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Anfield.
"It is something I could not even dream as a kid, I wanted to play in the Premier League but I could never imagine to win it," Jota said in the documentary about his Liverpool success.
"Pictures that will be shown forever. It is a remarkable achievement for a small guy that came from Gondomar, where I had this dream."
Liverpool have posthumously retired his number 20 shirt and the club have announced that Jota will be remembered with a permanent sculpture outside Anfield, while a mural of the star already adorns the wall of a building near the stadium.
© 2025 AFP
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