Diogo 'better than Figo'

LIVERPOOL STAR: FANS PAY TRIBUTE TO JOTA

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Diogo Jota was quickly hailed by Liverpool supporters as "better than [Luis] Figo" and the shocking death of the Portuguese international yesterday has left the English champions in mourning.

The 28-year-old died alongside his younger brother André Silva after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames.

A product of the Pacos de Ferreira academy on the outskirts of his native Porto, Jota made his name and played most of his professional career in the Premier League.

His precocious talent caught the eye of Atletico Madrid, who snapped him up in 2016.

But he never played a game for the Spanish giants.

Instead, after a loan spell at Porto, Jota was among the first wave of Portuguese talent parachuted into England at then second-tier Wolves due to the club's connections with super-agent Jorge Mendes.

Jota's goals helped fire Wolves from the Championship to the quarterfinals of the Europa League in just three seasons.