Diogo Jota moment is etched in Virgil van Dijk's mind as something he'll never forget

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A defining Diogo Jota moment remains firmly etched in Virgil van Dijk’s memory, standing out as something that the Liverpool captain says which he will never forget

Virgil van Dijk recalled a Diogo Jota goal which he said he'll never forget(Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Virgil van Dijk has opened up on a Diogo Jota goal which he says that will stay with him forever.

Liverpool faces Wolves in the Premier League this Saturday for the first time since the tragic events of the summer, which saw the deaths of Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident, which have cast a long shadow over the club.

In the lead-up to the game, there have been heartfelt tributes to the late Portuguese forward, including Jota’s children serving as mascots at Anfield and Wolves players paying respects at the stadium memorial on Friday. As Liverpool continues to navigate this period of profound grief, Van Dijk’s role as captain has taken on added weight, carrying the responsibility of leading the team through a time of unimaginable loss.

In an interview with The Times, Van Dijk opened up about Jota, recalling a goal against Arsenal which sticks in his memory. "Diogo meant a lot to me, to the team, to the club. I think that’s pretty obvious, first and foremost, as a person" said the Reds captain.

"He was an incredible person. With the way he was and behaved, he didn’t feel like he was from Portugal. The lads said he was more Scottish — McJota!

"He was hard-working, team-oriented, always 100 per cent whether he played or not. I said many times to him that he could run through players like Luis Suarez.

"I remember a goal he scored against Arsenal. He went past players, the ball bounced up against him and he scored and I think Luis had the same ability. Diogo was always the one that pushed everyone, setting the standard, wanting to listen. So, as a person in the group, he was an important figure."

Virgil van Dijk has shared his memories of Diogo Jota(Image: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Since the death of Jota and his brother, Liverpool fans have sung his song during the 20th minutes of fixtures. "Obviously, the fans sing Diogo’s song on 20 minutes during games," Van Dijk told The Times. "We’ve discussed that and we’re at a stage now where it doesn’t affect us.

"It’s obviously a sign of respect from our fans. So it’s up to the fans what will happen, but just to let anyone know that it doesn’t affect us.

"I remember the friendly game against Preston where it was really, really tough, but that was only two weeks after the accident. The minute’s silence in the home game against Bournemouth was very, very difficult.

"But I think we’re at the stage now where we want to use it as strength. Diogo would want us to succeed; he would want us to do well, and that’s the main thing."