I don’t really know if I’m overreacting or not, but every time I see a post about Diogo Jota, or even just a small clip of him in a match, it honestly breaks me. No matter how small it is, it still destroys me completely. I try to ignore it sometimes, but I just can’t. The feeling always comes back.
I know I didn’t have any personal connection with him or anything and to him I was just another fan, but it still feels like I lost something important. He was my favourite Liverpool player, and watching him play always meant something to me.
by CupOf_Apple
9 Comments
I think everyone is a shock death of an extremely likeable loved player is always going to hit differently.
Imagine what the players and manager are going through. Some fans don’t want to. This season was always gonna be difficult.
Honestly, I think it still breaks the squad too. R.I.P Jota 😪
There’s no right or wrong way to feel, so be kind to yourself.
It’s normal for it to be painful, but it might be worth considering if there’s another loss in your life that you’re grieving that this is linking to.
Hey, you are not alone
I was mostly numb in shock when it happened
And randomly one day it hit me and just cried.
I don’t think I have been impacted so much from someone I met personally since well, Chester Bennington’s death
So yeah, grief appears at random moments, hey if you need anyone to talk to dms are open
You’re not alone bro. He was my favorite play aswell. Aside from being a joy to watch, I could really only identify myself with Jots from all other players. We’re the exact same height, same age, he loved gaming too and would occasionally stream.
He reminded me and insipred me what I could be if I put extra effort in whatever I do. His death was also a tipping point in my life, made me realize how fickle life really is, and made me appreciate and love my loved ones harder while we’re all still here.
That’s ok buddy, we all react differently to grief. Make sure you talk to friends and family about how you feel.
It hit me hard too – I’m in my late 40s and have lost close friends and family, but this felt different. Maybe we can’t grieve normally because it feels weird crying for a stranger’s death, so we bottle it up.
I’ve lost a bit of my love for football this season – maybe because LFC have been mostly rubbish (I’m not a fair weather fan – I’m a match-going, nth generation fan with family entirely from the city), maybe because football itself is rubbish (set pieces, money, FIFA, VAR), or maybe because of Diogo’s passing.
Just talk to people, keep doing the things you love (for me, it’s spending time with my wife and son, running, and gaming), don’t be shy about being upset, and if you’re in the UK try to get to Anfield and stand by the memorial outside the Main Stand – that helped me a lot. Also remember that time heals ❤️
Grief is unique to everybody, and to every loss. We spend all week talking about these players with friends and family and in work, reading about these players on the internet then, at the weekend, we share all of the highs and lows of football with them. We cheer with them, we cry with them. When they leave it feels like a breakup, sometimes that can take a while to get over. Sometimes we wish them well sometimes we hate them…
I think the loss of Diogo has really brought into focus how much a part of our lives these players actually are. Most of us never have or never will meet them and yet they are on our minds a lot, whether we’re angry with them or happy with them.
I think what I’m trying to say is that you aren’t overreacting, and any of us who don’t feel how you do aren’t necessarily under reacting. A person who held a bigger place in your life than you probably realised passed away suddenly in tragic circumstances. You get to feel about that however you feel.
YNWA mate, and thank you for sharing.
I always think about his wife and kids. Not sure how you get over something like that.
In terms of his teammates I imagine people dealing with it differently and it takes time, everyone is different. Although I do think if you are struggling to move on because it must be difficult in the changing rooms and on the bus..the kind of impact it has on performance and it’s impossible to draw a line under it. It must be easier for Diaz, Kelleher, Quansah etc, being in a different environment. Just like Wirtz and Ekitike don’t have that feeling in there stomach like the others will.
As a manager how do you cope with that, do you move on yourself, do you move others on to try and get over it. Not to replace the memory of Diogo but you can’t carry it round with you every time you play football at Anfield or travel to the games. It’s almost an impossible situation and every decision you make feels like the wrong one.