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Fullname: João Pedro Neves Filipe
aka: Joao Pedro Neves Filipe, Joao Neves Filipe, Jota, Filipe Jota, ‘George Michael’
Born: 30 March 1999
Birthplace: Lisbon, Portugal
Signed (loan): 31 August 2021 (on loan from Benfica for season)
Signed (perm): 1 July 2022 (£6.3m plus 30% sell-on)
Left: 4 July 2023 (to Al-Ittihad, est £25m plus addons less cuts, expected Celtic net £20-25m)
Position: Left-Winger, Midfielder
Debut: Celtic 3-0 Ross County, SP, 11 Sep 2021
Squad No.: 17
Internationals: […]
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
“They are just different aren’t they? Celtic fans are unbelievable, we are just grateful to have them.”
Jota
On Loan signing
Celtic signed Filipe Jota on a loan (with a £6.5m option to buy) at the end of the 2021 summer transfer window, just as Edouard had left for a bumper transfer fee down south. Celtic needed to bolster the squad under new manager Ange Postecoglou.
Jota was another in the long line of the next young big things in Europe who had fallen way short. There had been genuine big money interest in him in recent years from mega-clubs (notably Real Madrid), but he was now far off those expectations and needed a reboot, hence his loan move to Celtic.
He was a pacy tricky winger who could bamboozle opposition players before sending over a perfect cross or assist from his wing. He put in effort on the field and was one of those players who could easily get the supporters off their seats. He also had an incredible barnet too!
Hitting the ground running he showed his talents that dumbfounded his parent club for letting him go out on loan. He was quickly a fan favourite and many initially deemed him the best player at the club linking up brilliantly with Kyogo to help Celtic in the rebuild under Postecoglu, all three in their debut seasons at Celtic.
The moment that best highlighted his ability was in a 2-0 win v Ferencvaros in the Europa League, with an inch perfect 50 yard long pass through to Kyogo to score a brilliant opener. It was an incredible world class assist and goal, and he was a level above everyone on the pitch on the day. The fans were already clamouring over getting him signed permanent asap.
You could see how much he was enjoying it at Celtic as he joined in with the fan celebrations across the matches as the Celtic resurgence gathered pace. A famous celebration was after scoring he sat down in a lotus yoga position!
He was out injured with a hamstring injury for a short period mid season but on his return after the turn of the year his contribution at least on paper dipped with the stats indicating that he was underperforming in goals and assists. Granted he was rarely poor but a very ineffective performance v Sevco in the Scottish Cup defeat in April 2022 raised certain concerns, it wasn’t the first low key game he’d had of late.
Some put it down to the loss of Kyogo due to injury but he needed to prove himself and not rely on other players. In the last league game v Sevco in the season, he showed his two sides. He scored a brilliant first goal v Sevco but then seemed to be anonymous for the second half. Certain supporters were questioning if Jota had overall delivered enough in the big games, and was he more than just flicks and tricks. Was he too much of a luxury? Harsh but it needed asked as the payout was going to be high.
He’d had an excellent run at the end of the season, and overall opinion on Jota was high. Overall, he’d had a great season and had made a major contribution in the regaining of the league title. It has to be considered that Jota, like many players who come to Celtic, had never before played in such a hectic season. Jota probably had never before played in as many senior games at this pace in a season in his life. A few players looked like they were carrying the weight of this year, not just Jota, but he could hold his head high.
Permanent Signing (Jul 2022 onwards)
Jota agreed a five year contract to convert to permanent with a final deal of £6.3m and a 30% sell-on clause in July 2022 much to the joy of the Celtic support.
He continued where he left off in the previous season, proving his worth on the field and was one who clearly got fans off their seats with his jinking runs and crosses as well as chipping in with goals. The quality of his goals was incredible, including some brilliant long range goals v Aberdeen, St Johnstone. Against Sevco, he was definitely a handful, scoring key goals including the 1-0 Scottish Cup winner in April 2023, and having also scored against them in the prior match (3-2 league match win).
His clenched fist salute after some of his most notable goals became favourite memes across social media, but he took his part in the side very seriously. Off the field he was very regularly found socialising with the support which was a wonderful touch. He was loving life at Celtic as the first team sealed the domestic treble, with his delightful goal sealing the feat in a 3-1 victory over Scottish Cup final victory over a dogged Inverness Caley side (Jun 2023).
His highlight for the season (away from the titles) was a world class free kick v Real Madrid at the Bernabeu (Nov 2022), and there was not a happier & more proud man on this earth at that moment, you could just see the joy on his face:
“[With my goal] it is every kid’s dream. All of us grew up watching these teams and the Spanish league as well. So it was a very good moment for me. My family was in the stands and it was just a proud moment for me and my family.”
His rapport with the fans was becoming legendary, but he backed it up on the field. A cover of the Celtic song for Jota by local singer Ellie Dixon even went viral after she sang the tune beautifully on national radio. Apparently, Jota also liked to practice deejaying as “a little hobby”.
He was one of the most popular Celtic players in recent memory, built up the success in this season with Celtic lifting a well deserved treble, with results often headlined with Jota’s contributions.
Depature (June 2023)
To everyone’s shock, soon after the end of the season he was linked to a raid by the then highly profligate & over-ambitious Saudi League who out of nowhere were on a mammoth spending spree which even spooked EPL teams. The figures reported for Jota’s expected salary (£10m tax free annually) were eye-watering as was the estimated transfer fee of €30m (~£25m) so it was inevitable the offer could not be refused by any of the stakeholders.
A cruel blow for Celtic having already lost popular manager Postecoglou only a few weeks back and now the most popular entertainer in the side too! It felt as if the league title winning side was fracturing.
Not all were impressed by his decision to move:
“Jota has thrown his career in the bin and the Celtic star will become a forgotten man!”
Ex-Celt Chris Sutton
Jota in his two seasons had made the fans smile with his gallas entertaining style, and his goals were replayed endlessly. There was a genuine rapport between the supporters and Jota, so to see this relationship end so suddenly was disappointing. Nevertheless, he would be very fondly recalled, and likely he would be forever in debt to Celtic for how they helped give his career & life the fillip it needed at a crucial time.
In a farewell video on social media, he posted an emotional & colourful goodbye to the support:
“No words will ever express how grateful I am for this ride. Let me tell you something, what a f**king ride.”
We wished him the very best.
Post-Celtic
The transfer turned into one of the most bizarre squandering of money ever in sport (and that hasn’t exactly been a shortlist)! He was little played, with foreign player quota reasons referrred unconvincingly to explain this.
Once they backtracked on this, with rumours of wishing to tear up the contract, he finally won gametime and scored a handful of goals, but clearly the club was poorly managed. With the Saudis winding down their original plans which saw ludicrous amounts of money being spent on their professional football infrastructure, with cuts needed, Al Ittihad were ready to release Jota.
Supposedly not convincing their clearly incompetent management, there were reports that they wanted to give him away in order to allow Al Ittihad to bet on another European star August 2023! Mohammed Noor (rated one of Al Ittihad’s great players) claimed: “It has been clear through recent matches that Jota is not suitable to play for the club!” but in truth that club had way overspent on a number of big names, and a lack of proper oversight meant they needed to reassess their strategies.
This move had soured, out of no fault of that of Jota, and in any case there were similar cases of an unfulfilling time in the Saudi league by ex-pats who moved there ostensibly for the money. Really it was a league for the overly-expensive who were out of favour in Europe (e.g. Neymar, Benzema, Stevie Gerrard and even Moussa Dembele).
He escaped the Saudi League mess in a €8m transfer move to Ligue 1 Rennes in August 2024. As he was still young at this point, and only a year was lost, he could very much make up for the time wasted, but at least will have been financially well compensated for the drama. There were still many calls & hopes he would return to Celtic.
Then things quickly turned sour at Rennes when soon after a new manager was brought in and dropped Jota, stating unhelpfully:
“Why was Jota on the bench at the start of the match? For me he’s mainly a winger, not an interior player who can help balance the team.“
[….]
Quotes
“I am very happy to join such an historic and exciting team as Celtic. Having played in Portugal and Spain, everyone knows that Celtic is a huge name across Europe and a club with real heart and soul.
“It will be a pleasure and an honour to fight for this club and I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere from our supporters at Paradise. I know the Manager wants us to play fast, attacking football, the way it should be played and I can’t wait to play my part in this.
“I will work hard to do all I can to make the fans happy and enjoy some good times together.”
Jota (Aug 2021)
“I will try to be a dynamic player, try to score a lot of goals, assists, playmaking…”
Jota (Sep 2021)
“I would like for every football fan just to experience a game in Celtic Park. I’m telling this to my family and my friends because it is definitely something different. You feel things about football that you don’t feel in other places. The atmosphere against Ferencvaros speaks for itself. It’s an afternoon, most people have to work and the stadium is full. They have to come from their jobs or they are skipping, I don’t know! They make the effort to come to our games and enjoy them and we are grateful.”
Jota (Oct 2021)
“Been told by one source that there’s a lot of regret at Benfica for allowing an option-to-buy clause, for so cheap, on Jota’s loan last season. Another buying club would’ve had to pay a lot more this summer. That’s why they’ve got a 30% sell-on in the deal – they wanted more.”
Anthony Joseph (Sky sports journalist) July 2022
“I will try to be a dynamic player, try to score a lot of goals, assists, playmaking…”
Jota (Sep 2021)
“I would like for every football fan just to experience a game in Celtic Park,” Jota said. “I’m telling this to my family and my friends because it is definitely something different. You feel things about football that you don’t feel in other places. The atmosphere against Ferencvaros speaks for itself. It’s an afternoon, most people have to work and the stadium is full. They have to come from their jobs or they are skipping, I don’t know! They make the effort to come to our games and enjoy them and we are grateful.”
Jota (Oct 2021)
“Been told by one source that there’s a lot of regret at Benfica for allowing an option-to-buy clause, for so cheap, on Jota’s loan last season. Another buying club would’ve had to pay a lot more this summer. That’s why they’ve got a 30% sell-on in the deal – they wanted more.”
Anthony Joseph (Sky sports journalist) July 2022
“This is too early. Last season people kept on saying they were in front of us, and the championship was done. Things don’t work like that. This is football. It is game after game. Until May, there is plenty of football to play. So just chill. We have plenty of stuff to do.”
Jota after 4-0 win v Sevco, with a scintillating goal by Jota (Sep 2022)
“They are just different aren’t they? Celtic fans are unbelievable, we are just grateful to have them.”
Jota
“We are probably one of the best clubs in the world in terms of passion, in terms of soul. Our fans speak for itself.”
Jota (2023)
“Jota has thrown his career in the bin and the Celtic star will become a forgotten man!”
Ex-Celt Chris Sutton on Jota’s move to Saudi Arabia (July 2023)
Former Celtic winger Jota ‘excluded’ from the Al-Ittihad squad after the Saudi Pro League side snapped up another European star. Italian international Luiz Felipe has joined from Real Betis – Rangers’ Europa League rivals – which spells bad news for the ex-Hoops hero, according to reports in Saudi Arabia. Saudi clubs can only include up to eight foreigners in their squad, with Felipe’s arrival set to render Jota surplus to requirements. l-Riyadh sports journalist Hattan Al-Najjar wrote: “Jota will be excluded from the list of [Al Ittihad] professionals in the league, according to the new system.” Al-Ittihad spent £25m signing Jota from Celtic this summer but reports claim that the Portuguese star could be shipped out on loan, most likely to another Saudi club.
(Sep 2023)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2021-22 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 40 |
| Goals | 10 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| 2022-23 | 33 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 43 |
| Goals | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Total | 62 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 83 |
| Goals | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 28 |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
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Scottish Cup
Scottish League Cup
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Celtic sign Jota from Benfica
By Celtic Football Club
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/august/Celtic-sign-Jota-from-Benfica/
Celtic Football Club is delighted to announce that it has made its 11th signing of the summer transfer window, with the announcement that winger Jota has joined the club, subject to international clearance. Jota joins Celtic from Benfica in Portugal, on a season-long loan with Celtic having an option to buy.
The 22-year-old midfielder has featured 18 times for Portugal’s Under-21s side since 2018, scoring five goals along the way, and is a product of Benfica’s youth academy, having graduated to the club’s senior side in July, 2019. The winger spent the 2020/21 campaign out on loan, playing in Spain’s La Liga for Real Valladolid, before returning to the Eagles this summer.
Jota commented: “I am very happy to join such an historic and exciting team as Celtic. Having played in Portugal and Spain, everyone knows that Celtic is a huge name across Europe and a club with real heart and soul.
“It will be a pleasure and an honour to fight for this club and I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere from our supporters at Paradise. I know the Manager wants us to play fast, attacking football, the way it should be played and, I can’t wait to play my part in this.
“I will work hard to do all I can to make the fans happy and enjoy some good times together.”
Ange Postecoglou on Jota’s Celtic future – ‘if two parties want the same thing’
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou intimated that all contract talks have been placed on ice as his team seek to close in on the title.
By Andrew Smith
Sunday, 24th April 2022, 5:55 pm
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/ange-postecoglou-on-jotas-celtic-future-if-two-parties-want-the-same-thing-3666600
The impressive, and hiccup-free, 2-0 victory away to Ross County that has placed them within a derby victory next weekend of as good as sealing the cinch Premiership was underpinned by a best showing of the year from on-loan Benfica winger Jota. He netted his team’s clinching second late on after providing the cross Kyogo Furuhashi to score earlon on, which capped the Japanese forward’s first start in 2022 following injury.
But while the Celtic manager was content to concur with the sense of a return to his best for Jota, following reports from Portugal that the Glasgow club had decided against taking up their £6m buy option on the 23-year-old, Postecoglou batted away any talk of movement on securing the winger for next season.
“If anyone thinks we’re thinking of anything other than what happened today… For all of us the most important thing is that we work hard to get a successful year out of this [Jota loan deal],” the Australian said. “Whatever happens beyond that…these conversations. There are two parties and if two parties want the same thing, then it will happen. He was good. With him, he had such a great start to the year then he had a significant injury [towards the end of last year]. He’s another player who has just been really unfortunate this year with a disrupted year.
“He’s worked really hard to get back to the form we know he can. Today, he was really good for the team and had a good all round game. Just in that final third, he was looking threatening like we know he can be. It was great for him. Very few of our boys have had a smooth run this year and they’ve had to overcome difficulties and he’s one of them.”
Furuhashi is foremost among the Celtic personnel whose seasons have been abridged by injury, with today the first start since Boxing Day for the 27-year-old because of a hamstring issue. The club’s top scorer marked the occasion with a first goal – his 17th – since his double in the Premier Sports Cup final triumph over Hibernian on December 19.
“He’s a quality player and he would be missed at any club. We’ve managed really well without him but we know he’s got special qualities,” said the Celtic manager. “He’s not 100 percent sharp yet. If he was, he would have probably have had two or three today. Just getting that goal gives him the reward and hopefully the motivation to keep going. With him and Giako [Giorgos Giakoumakis] leading the line, we’ve got two strikers who I know have got goals in them and can give us some real cutting edge there.”
No, not a chance’ – Jota shuts down Celtic future talk after starring in Ross County win
Celtic winger Jota refused to entertain any discussions around his future after playing a starring role in a 2-0 win over Ross County that has put the league leaders within touching distance of the title.
By Matthew Elder
Sunday, 24th April 2022, 5:35 pm
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/no-not-a-chance-jota-shuts-down-celtic-future-talk-after-starring-in-ross-county-win-3666591
The Portuguese winger produced an inspired performance, scoring one and setting up the other, to ensure the Hoops restored their six-point advantage over Rangers at the top of the Premiership standings ahead of next week’s all-important Old Firm showdown at Celtic Park.
Jota clipped the perfect cross onto the head of Kyogo Furuhashi for Celtic’s 12th minute opener and went on to terrorise the County defence throughout the afternoon before showing netting a rebound to secure victory for the Hoops three minutes from time.
Doubts remain over the future of the on-loan Benfica star, with talks between Celtic and his parent club ongoing amid speculation over a possible £6million permanent transfer this summer, but Jota insists he is not looking beyond the end of the current season.
“No, not a chance. I am just enjoying day by day,” was Jota’s reply when asked whether he has given any thought to where he will be playing his football next season.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “It has been a terrific season for me so I am just enjoying getting to know the people around me. Be a better person, be a better football player, I am learning every day with quality people. So that’s what I’m doing now. I don’t have to talk about that, I just want to enjoy and give everything for this shirt. As a football player, you need to keep your mind on the pitch that is all that matters. Contract things are for other times, so let me just play football and enjoy it.
“As football players we need to keep our minds on the pitch and that’s all that matters. Bureaucratic things are for another time. So let me just play football.”
‘I just fell in love’ – Celtic confirm Jota signing on 5-year deal in £6.3m deal from Benfica
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/i-just-fell-in-love-celtic-confirm-jota-signing-on-5-year-deal-in-ps63m-deal-from-benfica-3752482
Celtic have confirmed the signing of Portuguese winger Jota on a permanent deal.
By Joel Sked
Friday, 1st July 2022, 9:42 am
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The 23-year-old has signed a five-year deal after impressing on loan last season.
Celtic are expected to pay Benfica £6.3million for the transfer with the Portuguese giants having a 30 per cent sell-on clause.
Jota was a key player under Ange Postecoglou as Celtic won the Premiership and League Cup. he hit double figures in goals and assists in 40 appearances across all competitions.
He admitted he fell in love with the club last season.
“I’m feeling great,” Jota told CelticTV. “It’s a tremendous step in my career.
“I’m really happy to have joined Celtic and I just want to give some joy to the fans, to our team and conquer as many things as we can.
“It was a great experience last season. I already knew, more or less, how big Celtic was but I think people only realise once you are inside the club and inside the structure.
“With the season that we had with all the winning and all the trophies, I think it was very good for everyone, and I just got to know the club in another perspective, and I just fell in love. So I think it’s a good time to be here and I just want to develop.”
Jota is the fourth summer signing after Cameron-Carter Vickers, Benjamin Siegrist and Alexandro Bernabei.
He will now look forward to playing in the Champions League group stages.
“Ange has a philosophy of the game which wants us to be better in every training session and every game, so he aims for us to be better and better every week, and that’s something a player likes because there’s no point staying on the same level always,” Jota said.
“You want to develop, you want to be better and you want to achieve other things and at the club we’re ready for that and we’re getting ready for all the competitions ahead.
“Pre-season is always a very important time for us to prepare for what’s ahead because during the season we don’t have the time to be meticulous about all our tactics or whatever.”
Jota explains emotion of scoring for Celtic in the Bernabeu as he hails ‘personality’ of team despite 5-1 defeat
Celtic winger Jota believes the “personality” of Ange Postecoglou wasn’t to be denied even in a Champions League campaign that proved decidedly unproductive in terms of results.
By Andrew Smith
And the 23-year-old, working his way back from injury, admitted it finished with a moment of personal satisfaction he could share with his nearest and dearest. That came thanks to the second half substitute striking with an exquisitely flighted free-kick six minutes from time in the 5-1 loss to Real Madrid in the Bernabeu.
“We knew what our plan was and we tried to play our game,” said the Portuguese attacker. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the win, but there are a lot of good points. There is a lot of personality in our team. We played to score and to be active and direct.
“[With my goal] it is every kid’s dream. All of us grew up watching these teams and the Spanish league as well. So it was a very good moment for me. My family was in the stands and it was just a proud moment for me and my family. They are a big pillar in my life and without them I don’t think I would have got to this level and achieved this.”
Celtic winger Jota celebrates after scoring a consolation free-kick in the 5-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Bernabeu. (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)
Celtic winger Jota celebrates after scoring a consolation free-kick in the 5-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Bernabeu. (Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images)
Jota won’t be constantly checking his phone over the next few days to see if he fulfills another dream with the player featuring on the 55-strong long-list ahead of his country naming their 26-man squad to go to the World Cup in Qatar in a fortnight. “I am someone who thinks day by day, so my thought right now is to train very good and be ready for the next game,” he said. “Whatever comes will come naturally. I am not obsessed by anything. So I just want to be happy, a better person and a better player.”
Saudi Champions Al-Ittihad sign Jota from Celtic
Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/saudi-champions-al-ittihad-sign-jota-celtic-2023-07-03/
July 3, 202310:54 PM GMT+1Updated 9 hours ago
Scottish Cup Final – Celtic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Soccer Football – Scottish Cup Final – Celtic v Inverness Caledonian Thistle – Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – June 3, 2023 Celtic’s Jota celebrates scoring their third goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo
July 3 (Reuters) – Celtic winger Jota has joined Al-Ittihad on a three-year contract, the Saudi Pro League champions announced on Monday.
Financial details were not disclosed but Scottish media reported the transfer fee was 25 million pounds ($31.73 million).
Al-Ittihad announced the deal by publishing an animated video of coach Nuno Espirito Santo watching Jota’s goals.
“We want to conquer the world,” the former Wolverhampton Wanderers coach said in the video with the FIFA Club World Cup in the background.
Al-Ittihad will participate in the Club World Cup which will be held in Jeddah in December as champions of the host country’s league.
Jota, 24, becomes Al-Ittihad’s third signing after Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante.
The former Benfica forward scored 28 goals and made 26 assists in 83 games after moving to the Scottish champions in 2021.
The Saudi Pro league has become an attractive destination for Europe-based players since Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr last January.
Last month, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project involving Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal.
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PIF owns 75% of each of the four clubs, while their respective non-profit foundations own 25% of each.
Video: Jota finally responds to Celtic exit in emotional clip
https://thecelticstar.com/video-jota-finally-responds-to-celtic-exit-in-emotional-clip/
By Peter Brown 9 July, 2023 No Comments
Jota of Celtic celebrates after scoring the second goal during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and theRangers at Celtic Park Stadium on September 03, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
After his recent Celtic exit, Jota has this evening sent out this emotional video message to the Celtic support who have been wondering why he hadn’t said his formal goodbyes after two unforgettable years wearing the Hoops with such distinction.
The Celtic hero joined Al-Ittihad in a £25m deal that caught many Celtic fans by surprise. The main feeling that surrounded Jota’s move was shock, his transfer happened so quickly and without any warning. many Celtic fans were also hurt by the radio silence displayed by Jota during the breaking transfer news. Jota played a crucial role in Celtic’s success this season, so it was understandably hard to watch him leave the club.
However, Jota has recently posted an emotional video on his Instagram account speaking directly to the Celtic supporters. Here’s what Jota has had to say today.
“No words will ever express how grateful I am for this ride. Let me tell you something, what a f**king ride.”
“I stepped into Paradise as a young lad with dreams to fulfil and a single goal, to find happiness doing what I love the most. I was scared, I had doubts, and I didn’t know what to expect from something that in the end turned out to be one of the most beautiful stories ever.”
Jota of Celtic celebrates after scoring only goal of the game during the Scottish Cup Semi Final match between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 30, 2023 in . (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“People often ask me what is so special about Celtic and I feel like there’s no straight answer. There’s no fair answer for it. The answer lies in a deep feeling, a sense, an emotion. There’s a mystical fog flowing around Celtic Park that induces you to this sense of football edge. This football heritage gave us unforgettable moments and you can’t explain it, you need to feel it. You need to respect it.”
“I’m such a lucky man to have lived two years of excitement and getting to evolve as a football player and as a person. To the players, to the staff and for all of the involved departments, a big thank you from me. You made me better.”
Jota of Celtic FC controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League group F match between Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic FC at The Marshall Jozef Pilsudski’s Municipal Stadium of Legia Warsaw on September 14, 2022 in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo by Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images)
“To the fans, and I always say this, you guys found a way of loving me more than my previous girlfriends and I guarantee you that we were crazy in love. For what matters, I think I loved you more than them so believe me, I’ll love you for life.
“I’ve recently learned that happiness is not found at the finishing line, it lies in the path. I am grateful for every raindrop in Glasgow, and every trip to the Highlands, and wow those were long. Every bit of Glaswegian banter and so it goes on, so many stories, so many things to remember.
“Celtic will always have a special place in my heart, and one day my biggest dream will be to sit down with my kids and just tell them how magical and special this place is because life is all about stories and this one was just unbelievable.
“Today I become another fan, the one that lives and makes the club. Forever yours.”