Diogo Jota has finally linked up with the rest of his Liverpool teammates for pre-season after returning from Euro 2024 duty with Portugal this summer.
The forward has just come back from a well-deserved break following his nation's quarterfinal heartbreak in Germany and it's safe to say Reds fans are pleased to see him back among the group. Jota actually started the 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Philadelphia on Wednesday , with the Portuguese managing a healthy 45 minutes before coming off at half-time of Liverpool's second game in the US.
The former Wolves man will now be hoping to kick-on ahead of the new campaign, although that solely depends on whether he is able to avoid any further injury issues, which at one point threatened his inclusion in Portugal's Euro 2024 squad.
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However, despite being fully fit for the tournament in Germany, Jota was used sparingly by Roberto Martinez as the Spaniard over-relied on a 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo - who failed to score a single goal in 486 minutes of football.
The Reds striker was awarded just 97 minutes of action over five games of which he was an unused substitute for two, including the quarter-final defeat to France as Les Blues emerged victorious on penalties. Now, Jota has opened up on what it was like to sit behind Ronaldo in the pecking order.
"I don't have much to say about it. I think we could have gone all the way but we lost in the quarterfinals," he told the ECHO . "I'm always ready to help my country. It wasn't required so you get that frustration from feeling that you could have helped."
At 39, there has been much speculation over whether Ronaldo will play at another major international tournament with Portugal, although many believe the 2026 World Cup is definitely within reach given it's just two years away - even if he will be 41 by the time it comes around.
According to Jota, however, the Al-Nassr forward is keeping his international teammates in the dark over his international future. "I am not sure about (Ronaldo retiring). I am not sure what he told about his last tournament," he said.
"But he has been an inspiration for me since his early days, since I can remember. He is an icon and won the Ballon d’Or multiple times. He was a reference for me. I was glad to share a dressing room with him and learn everything I could for him. I will thank him for that."
Portugal's next games are against Croatia and Scotland in the UEFA Nations League in September, where Jota will certainly be expected to play a part and cement his place in his nation's starting XI. As for Ronaldo, however, only time will tell if he's ready to return to the international scene.
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