The superstar from Portugal: Jota's top five Celtic moments

The Scottish champions look to have gained up to €30 million from the deal, with Benfica's sell-on fee thought to be 30 per cent. Reports suggest that the year-old could earn a whopping £192,000 a week, which equates to £10 million a year tax-free.

Jota has lit up the Scottish game for the two seasons he has plied his trade in Paradise. He won five out of six trophies and bows out of Scotland, having helped the Hoops seal their eight domestic treble. Therefore, it feels like a good time to look back on five of Jota's best moments in his short but sweet time at Parkhead.

Jota's late, late, show at Pittodrie seals a vital away win for Celtic

Aberdeen 1-2 Celtic 

Scottish Premiership

October 3, 2021

Jota's late winner, six minutes from time, earned Celtic a first away Scottish Premiership victory since February of that year. Kyogo Furuhashi chested in a deserved early opener but the hosts improved after the break and equalised when Lewis Ferguson diverted a corner in.

However, the visitors responded late at Pittodrie as Jota's close-range finish from Adam Montgomery's low cross across the face of the goal earned Celtic a long-awaited away win. The result meant that Celtic remained sixth but was still sitting six points adrift of league leaders Rangers.

Ironically, the day had started with Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou feeling the heat after winning just three of his first seven league games. There were rumblings of discontent and some dared suggest that the Aussie could have paid the ultimate price had he spilt any points in the Granite City.

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It was Jota who popped up to rescue the victory and sparked Postecoglou's Celtic into life as they embarked on a run that secured both the League Cup and Scottish Premiership come the end of the campaign. Amid much fist-pumping and chest-thumping, Postecoglou had finally got what he wanted which was the buy-in from the Celtic supporters.

As he said at the time: "The second half was a real battle, to the players' credit we were looking for that second goal and I'm pleased the players got their reward. The important thing is the manner we did it, we showed great character. That's probably the one thing people were questioning up until now."

Jota's strike for Celtic at Pittodrie on that fateful day proved to be crucial as it afforded Postecoglou the most valuable commodity there is for any football manager - time.

Jota's 50-yard pass to Kyogo really is a thing of beauty

Celtic 2-0 Ferencvaros 

Europa League

October 19, 2021

Jota produced a sublime moment and piece of individual brilliance as Celtic finally got off the mark in Europa League group to keep their qualification hopes alive. It was Celtic’s first win in the Europa League group stage after two losses, and they sat third in the table behind early pacesetters Bayer Leverkusen and Real Betis.

Goals by Kyogo Furuhashi and David Turnbull settled the issue but all the talk was of Jota's outrageous piece of skill and a 50-yard assist for the opener for the Japanese striker. The winger swept a 50-yard pass to Kyogo, who was running straight through the middle and the forward exquisitely controlled the ball without breaking stride before expertly slotting home.

It was a moment that helped cement Jota as a darling in the eyes of the Celtic faithful and a glimpse of what was to come from the 'superstar from Portugal'.

Perhaps this tweet from Celtic supporter BroganRoganTrevino about Jota's pass does it more justice than anything.

"Celtic’s first goal yesterday was as beautiful a piece of football as you will see. Kyogo’s finish was composed, measured, cool and sublime – but – there is nothing anyone in the world can do when faced with a pass that renders an entire team redundant and splits them wide open.”

Jota had arrived.

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Jota's sublime goal and iconic celebration

Celtic 4-0 Rangers

Scottish Premiership

September 3, 2022

Celtic laid down an ominous marker in the Scottish Premiership title race as they dismantled rivals Rangers with two goals from Liel Abada, Jota and a counter from David Turnbull. The emphatic victory moved Ange Postecoglou's team five points clear of Rangers at the top of the league after just six games. The highlight of a one-sided first half came when Jota dinked the ball over Rangers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin to make it 2-0 and embarked upon THAT iconic celebration which went on to become his trademark.

The Portuguese winger bowed his head and raised his right fist into the air in a gesture not dissimilar to the “Black Power” salute that American athlete Tommie Smith famously made when he was standing on the podium at the Olympic Games in Mexico City in 1968 after receiving his gold medal. It is also a homage to former Celtic winger Jimmy Johnstone - voted the Greatest Ever Celt by the supporters - which further cement Jota's love-in with the faithful.

The image unsurprisingly went global and viral. Jota's story is an inspirational one and his celebration even makes waves back home in Portugal with his former club Benfica.

He concedes: "A funny story is that I received some videos from Portugal of the Benfica youth academy. Some kids were doing the exact same thing [celebration].So like under 10s and under 12s. I was just amazed. I get emotional at these kinds of things because I was at Benfica for 15 years and to see these young lads doing this kind of stuff is… wow."

It is iconic sporting moments like this which helped Jota fulfil his potential and realise his football dreams at Celtic, where he could do no wrong. Jota will still be beloved and adored in his adopted city and home of Glasgow even when he quits Celtic for the filthy lucre on offer in Saudi Arabia.

Jota scores a wonderful free-kick in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid

Real Madrid 5-1 Celtic

Champions League

November 2, 2022

Celtic were hammered in the Santiago Bernabeu as Carlo Ancelotti's then-Champions League holders crushed the Scottish champions on home soil.

However, Jota produced 'one of the best moments of my life' when he netted a superb consolation goal for Celtic. It meant more to him because his family watched him crash home a fantastic 20-yard free-kick into the top corner to give the travelling Celtic fans something to cheer on the night.

He produced another emotional celebration and is close to tears as he takes the acclaim of the Celtic supporters. Jota said: "I think this was one of the best moments of my life. As a kid, I always looked for these teams and these stages and to come here and score a goal, I think it's a very important moment for me and for my family. They were in the stands so they could see this locally so I am very happy for this."

Jota announced himself to a much wider audience and showed that he was capable of performing and producing at the highest level. In that instant alone, he put himself on the radar of most wealthy European clubs who will no doubt have started to monitor his progress. The superstar from Portugal was fully aware of the consequences of his goal against Real Madrid.

It is the left-field nature of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittahid's bid which renders his next football port of call a huge surprise. If it is good enough for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Ruben Neves then it is also surely good enough for Jota.

The reputed £192,000 a week wages may help cushion the blow of Jota leaving his second football love after Benfica.

The 'Brazen Header'

Rangers 0-1 Celtic

Scottish Cup semi-final

April 30, 2023

Jota stooped to conquer and produced another iconic goal celebration as he put Rangers to the sword in the Scottish Cup semi-final when he headed the only goal of the contest.

The Portuguese winger then ran towards the Rangers supporters in Mount Florida and proceeded to do a Christ-like arms outstretched goal celebration pose. Rangers switched off and Celtic switched on Daizen Maeda who fired over a cross which Jota gleefully buried.

In the run-up to the game, the player had visited the popular Celtic bar 'The Brazen Head' situated in the Gorbals area of the city bedecked in double denim.

The goal is duly described by yours truly as 'The Brazen Header' in a tweet a few hours after the event.

The winner ended Rangers' interest in all competitions for the season and ensured Michael Beale's men won no silverware. Jota scored the last goal in a 3-1 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup final before sharing a long, lingering emotional embrace with Ange Postecoglou after the final whistle.

Were the duo signposting their goodbyes?

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Jota leaves Celtic with his head held high, safe in the knowledge that he turned up in the big matches. He made stellar contributions when it mattered. He loved a goal celebration and there were plenty of them. He has a treasure trove of memories from his time in Glasgow.

For the best part of two seasons, Jota was the most elegant and graceful player to have played in the Scottish Premiership. Perhaps more importantly, when you scored, you made the Celtic supporters sing. How the Celtic fans loved their superstar from Portugal. "Jota on the wing...Jota, Jota on the wing!"