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Liverpool’s Diogo Jota has revealed that he grew up idolizing Cristiano Ronaldo. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star moved to Anfield this summer and already looks like a fantastic acquisition for the Reds.
The Portuguese has scored nine times in 15 games so far for Liverpool and looks completely at home after making the big switch in the summer. Jota shed light on playing for the Reds in a recent interview and also revealed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Diogo Jota discusses admiration for Ronaldo and reveals how Klopp helped him settle at Liverpool quickly
Jota revealed that he was seven when Portugal reached the Euro 2004 and admi that he had always been passionate about football.
My earliest memories are from the 2004 Euros when Portugal reached the final and unfortunately, we lost. I was seven and I remember it well. Football has always been my passion.
The Liverpool attacker also recalled being in awe of a young Cristiano Ronaldo during Portugal’s march to the Euro 2004 finals. The Juventus forward was breaking into a talented Portugal side during that tournament, and his quality left a lasting impression on Jota.
"Cristiano Ronaldo was my hero. At that time, he was 19 but he was already playing at the Euros with so much quality. During my childhood, he was at Manchester United and Real Madrid. As Portuguese guys, we always looked upon him as our main reference."
Diogo Jota then revealed that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp helped him settle in at Anfield and spoke highly of the German manager.
"When you reach a new club, having an open mind is key to be able to adapt as quickly as possible. With the season underway already, it was up to me to find a way to get into the team and not the opposite. That’s what I did with the help of Jurgen."
"He’s a fantastic manager who took care of me. When I first arrived, he had a meeting with me and he explained how the team works. Then it’s down to the player to try to learn as fast as you can and to prove to the manager that you can be an important player for him on the field."
Cristiano Ronaldo continues to play an important role at Juventus this year, and Jota will be hoping he can also become as influential for the club and country soon.
