Liverpool permanently retired the jersey number 20 in honor of Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away. Jota will now forever remain Liverpool's number 20.
Liverpool officially announced on the 12th (Korean time) through the club's official website and social media that they have decided to permanently retire number 20, which was worn by Jota. The club stated, "Diogo Jota proudly wore number 20 and shared numerous glorious moments on the pitch, and he will forever remain a part of Liverpool."
This decision is not just a symbol. Liverpool has decided, in consultation with Jota's wife, Ruth Cardoso, and his family, not to use number 20 across the first team, women's team, and youth academy. This reflects Liverpool's united intention to honor Jota's name and remember his achievements.
Jota suddenly passed away earlier this month in a traffic accident. According to local reports, Jota lost his life along with his brother, André Jota, in a traffic accident that occurred on the 3rd in a road near Zamora, Spain. What is even more tragic is that this accident happened just ten days after Jota married his longtime girlfriend, Ruth Cardoso.
Born in 1996, Jota represented Portugal as a forward, making his way through Spain's Atletico Madrid and England's Wolverhampton before donning the Liverpool jersey in 2020. Since then, he has featured in 182 official matches over four seasons at Liverpool, scoring 65 goals, and played a key role as an attacking resource in both the Premier League and European competitions.
He also appeared in 49 matches for the Portugal national team, scoring 14 goals and consistently making his mark on the Euro and World Cup stages, being a crucial part of the national team's attack.
Regarded as a versatile attacking resource, Jota could play roles as a center forward, winger, and shadow striker, adding flexibility to Liverpool's forward tactics. Above all, his dedicated movements and sharp goal-scoring ability earned him high trust among fans and teammates.
The football community was shocked by Jota's early passing, and Liverpool decided to retire jersey number 20, indicating that they would not let this tragedy remain a mere sorrow. This is an extremely rare case in Liverpool's history and demonstrates the deep affection the club had for him.
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