Jürgen Klopp has opened up about the passing of former Liverpool player Diogo Jota in a new biography chronicling the late soccer star's life.
Jota passed away at just 28 years old alongside his brother André Silva in a car accident during the summer of 2025, mere weeks after securing a Premier League title for the Reds under Klopp's management.
Klopp has now shared how he recognized Jota's potential after observing him play for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and how he continues to grapple with losing one of his most beloved Liverpool squad members.
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"I was watching a Wolves match," recalls Klopp in Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts from Reach Sport, which is available now, as per The Mirror . "When Diogo drifted to the left, using his physicality, showing refined technique and tremendous power. I immediately thought: 'I want this player'.
"It was a gut feeling, the sort that you can usually rely on.
"Over the years, I've learnt that if you see certain things in a footballer – certain actions – they can tell you a great deal about the person. And there have only been very rare cases where I've been disappointed or come to realize, later on, that they were actually completely different.
"Normally when I sign a player, the process is different. I work closely with the scouts and sporting directors, I tell them which position I need to strengthen, and they come back to me with some options. In Diogo's case, it was me who took the initiative. I asked them to put together some material about him. I told them I wanted to take a closer look at him, and that I was excited about his attributes.
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"We needed versatile players, and Diogo could play in several positions. And he had the right attitude and mentality for a club like Liverpool."
Klopp admits he remains unable to fully process Jota's death at 28, and struggles to discuss losing the husband and father of three.
"I'm 58 years old. I know that people die, that this is part of life," he said. "Once you reach a certain age, we have to accept that these things happen. But when I heard about Diogo's accident, I was in shock and I couldn't even speak. I didn't ask how, I didn't ask where; I just stopped what I was doing and tried to come to terms with it. To this day, I must admit, I still haven't really managed to do that.
"When my assistant Danielle asked me if I was available to have this conversation – to contribute to this book – I said yes, that I wanted to talk about Diogo, to think about him. However, now that we're talking, I can see that I'm not ready for it.
"I've spent most of my life talking, but now I'm just hanging by a thread, lost for words – which is not at all normal. It's crazy..."
