Jota was recognised almost everywhere he went throughout his summer break, no matter the global location, there was generally a Celtic fan in the vicinity urging him to sign for their club. Except one day in New York when the Portuguese superstar went initially unnoticed from Champions League to Sunday League.
Jota was minding his own business kicking a ball around a park in the Big Apple with his mate when he was suddenly approached by some Irish lads. Short of players, an enquiry was made to the two pals if they wanted to join in.
Despite wearing a strip with his name on it, no-one twigged it was actually Jota. Well, not until he started running riot and leading his team to a 6-5 win. Jota lifted the lid on the amusing tale as he said: “I had a kickabout with some fans in New York. I actually played a Sunday League match with a group of Irish fans.
“Me and my friend were kicking a ball around when someone approached us and asked if we wanted a game. They asked if we wanted to join them because they were a couple of players short. They needed two guys to make up the numbers, so we said, ‘why not?’.
“Then, when I started to play, one of the guys from our team came up and asked if I was Jota. I had a Celtic strip on with my name on the back but they still didn’t believe me at first and thought it was a joke. They said, ‘come on man, Jota is not in New York playing in the Sunday League!’.”
The star’s New York trip was part of a well-earned break after a gruelling and successful first term at Celtic. Jota always felt he’d want to get on board with Celtic for the long haul. But having worked so hard, it was time to rest the mind and body.
Having been on loan from Benfica, his stunning impact had the fans yearning for news on a permanent transfer from the moment he left Glasgow. They followed his every move and photo.
It wasn’t so much Jota on the wing. More like Jota in seats 12A, 23B and then 7C. His first flight of the summer, the day after last season finished, saw him and Carl Starfelt embark on a fight full of Rangers fans heading to Seville for the Europa League Final.
Jota seemed unfazed as he said: “We all know about the rivalry of the clubs but that’s not something I focus on. I was on that plane, me and Starfelt, it (the flight) happened and we are not going to discuss it any more because it is the past now. Just let us play football.”
After that, it was Celtic supporters all the way. The sheer size of the club means it’s impossible to get away from it completely as he explained: “I saw the Celtic fans everywhere I went.
“You have no idea how many stories I have with supporters. It was crazy. There are Celtic people all over the world which is a good thing. Maybe some places there weren’t but in other places there definitely were.
“It was good to feel the love and warmth everywhere I went. When I went on my holidays, I just started to think about holidays. I knew there was a moment I had to make a decision and it was in that moment that I made the decision.
“The fans kept on saying that (to sign). And I kept on saying, ‘first let me enjoy my holiday. It is really short. I won’t have this throughout the season. So I will make the decision when I have to make it’.
“But then we just started to think about normal things, the life in these places. I am a cultural guy. I just ended up speaking about normal things.”
That was then, however. This is now. It’s back to work and back into the footballing things he’s grown quickly to love and cherish.
Given his culture reference, he was asked what he liked best about Glasgow and said: “The people. The Glaswegians.”
Showing his grasp of the local lingo, he then quipped: “Someone keeps on saying to me there is a different banter!”
Culture also refers to his style of football. Fast and attacking with a boss in Ange Postecoglou who encourages such traits to be displayed in full effect. Jota said: “Ange is a guy that is amazing to work with.
“His philosophy of the game is the one that I am looking for in my career. I am just grateful to have a coach in my career that can develop me.”
And, of course, there isn’t a footballer who doesn’t like winning. Although he missed the Final through injury, Jota was part of the winning Premier Sports Cup squad before a Premiership title was added.
He said: “As a Celtic player, we always have to find the way to win as many titles as we can.
“We don’t give up. We are going to fight to do it.”
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