Diogo Jota was born on 4 December 1996 in Massarelos, Porto, Portugal, and grew up in Gondomar. After being rejected by larger clubs as a youth, he joined Paços de Ferreira's academy in 2013 and broke into their first team the following year, becoming the club's youngest ever top-flight scorer in the Primeira Liga.
A move to Atlético Madrid followed in 2016, though he spent that season on loan at Porto before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan in 2017. He was instrumental in Wolves' promotion to the Premier League as Championship champions, scoring 17 league goals, and eventually joined permanently for around €14 million. He made 131 appearances for Wolves, scoring 44 goals, including a hat-trick against Leicester City that made him only the second Portuguese player to achieve the feat in the Premier League after Cristiano Ronaldo.
In September 2020, Jota signed for Liverpool for a reported £41 million. He scored 65 goals in 182 appearances across five seasons, winning the Premier League in 2025, the FA Cup in 2022, and two EFL Cup titles. A sharp, quick forward with strong finishing, dribbling ability, and a high work rate, Jota was a reliable attacking option across Liverpool's front line throughout his time at the club.
Jota made his senior international debut for Portugal in November 2019 and earned 49 caps, scoring 14 goals. He represented his country at UEFA Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, and won the UEFA Nations League in both 2019 and 2025. He passed away on 3 July 2025 following a road accident in Spain. He was 28.