“And then it is just a reaction because the ball comes fast and I need to find a way to send it towards the goal. “I try to read it and hope the ball comes my way and that’s why I moved there for the crossing shot. “In those seconds I see Nat is with the ball and he’s not used to being in those areas. Jota knew as soon as the centre-back was on the ball in the box he had to move nearer to goal. Take Nat Phillips’ shot against Manchester United in May 2021. Understanding his team-mates and what they might do next has always been important to Jota. “Those goals that don’t happen very often, the ones where you actually speak about it before the game.” And at that moment (when he gets the ball from Jordan Henderson) I’m expecting him to cross. “He has a good pass with the inside of his foot. I said when you get the ball on the right side, just cross it. “That game Joe was playing right-back and I know he’s not used to playing there. One of his eight Premier League headers for Liverpool came in a 2-0 win over Watford in April 2022 and was assisted by Joe Gomez. During his time at Wolves he never scored a single header in the Premier League but since his Liverpool debut in 2020, only Harry Kane has scored more headers in the league. The amount of headers Jota has scored (10) has certainly been a surprise. So that is my way to be different and keep surprising everyone.” “And in that sense I’m a bit unpredictable because I don’t have that trademark. “Some players, like Arjen Robben for example, everyone knew he was going from the right, cutting inside and curling it on his left into the far post and no one could really stop him. “I don’t have a trademark goal,” he says leaning in as if to cross reference the numbers on screen. He understates the power of his right foot but has scored more goals for Liverpool using it (19) compared to the 12 he has netted on his left. “I said after the game and I think it’s true if that is on my right foot, it is probably not a goal!” The way you can predict what’s going to happen, and if you do that and react first it’s hard to stop. “Timing as an offensive player is everything. “The defender (Cristian Romero) only reacts to the ball and at that moment it’s already too late. “So I’m anticipating it and no one else is. “That’s the moment I think Lucas Moura can pass to the keeper,” Jota says, referring to Alisson’s long kick. Fortunately for me (this time) it did,” he says watching footage of the goal, which he celebrated by sitting down and pretending to play his PS5. “Sometimes you expect things to happen and they don’t. That ability to analyse the game in lightning-quick time is one of Jota’s hallmarks, a point underlined by the last-minute winner he scored against Tottenham last season. Together they have rebranded as Luna Galaxy, the name Luna deriving from one of his three beloved Beagle dogs. Once named after him, Jota recently signed a deal with Galaxy Racer - a gaming organisation based in Dubai. It was a sequence which earned him the number one ranked player on the FUT Champions leaderboard.īy this point he had already founded his own eSports team. In February 2021, during his debut season with Liverpool after joining from Wolves, a spell out with injury enabled him to build a 30-game unbeaten run on FIFA Ultimate Team. He is an elite footballer whether with boots on his feet or a console controller in his hands. He admits to a certain pride at the accomplishment and, even if seeing himself on TV is still a bizarre experience, this is his life now. The 26-year-old was one of the top registered FIFA 23 players in Europe which meant he qualified to play in the eChampions League on his PlayStation 5. Last season, Jota was, to his knowledge, the only professional player in the world who competed in the Champions League in real life and in a video game. He comes across in person in the same way he does in front of goal calm and confident. If he has an ego or a sharper edge to his personality it is nowhere to be found. His late winner against Tottenham last season is met with a soft grin there is a nod and smile when he watches his three-touch wonder goal against Nottingham Forest.īut for the most part, there is a low-key calm to Jota. Jota is happy to spend an hour looking at his best bits in a Liverpool shirt, although - true to his modest nature - he has no intention of lavishing himself with praise. In the event, there was no reason for concern. All of which might have made the purpose of The Athletic’s visit to Kirkby - watching clips of Jota playing with the man himself - slightly awkward.
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