In an article in The Players' Tribune, the guard of Man Utd and the Portuguese team Diocletian Dalot shared touching stories about Jose Mourinho, Cristino Ronaldo and late protégé Jota.
Mourinho's surprise call
We're sitting in a cafe in Braga, eating pancakes with yogurt. Me and a friend. 2018. I was playing for Porto, but that day was simply relaxing in the northern part of Portugal. I'm about to bite one more piece of cake and you lean over the table and say, "Listen, someone's gonna call you."
I said, "Who?".
"You're gonna go crazy."
"What?
"Mourinho".
"Stop it".
My friend at the time worked with my agent. I was 19 years old and had just been on a single Porto team. Previously, we had talked to sports directors, but we had never been called directly by a coach.
After a while, his phone rang. He gave me the phone. I took it and ran across the street. When he picks up, it's him. Jose Mourinho.
He was right about what I wanted to hear. That I have talent. That I'm strong. "I just need one test," he said.
Mourinho followed me when Porto met Liverpool in Anfield a few weeks earlier, because I confronted Sadio Mane. "You've locked the world's best wing runner. Now come play for me," he said.
I hung up and saw my friend looking through the glass of the coffeehouse, like, "How's it going?".
I raised my hands flat and lifted them to the sky, like a plane taking off.
We're flying high, my friend. We're going to Man Utd.
The rear guard Diogenes Dalot and Coach Jose Mourinho while working in Man Utd season 2018-2019. Image: Goal
A few days later, I learned that I had to operate.
I had a problem on my right knee during the rehearsal. After the MRI, the doctor said I would have to take five months off. Ordnance injury. First serious injury in career. I can't believe it.
Just as I got in my car to drive home, the representative called. I said, "I have to operate. It's over."
"Alo?" I said.
He said, "I don't know how to say it, but everything's done. Paper complete. Their director is on his way to your house. You just need to sign."
"So what now? Do they still sign with me? "
"I don't know".
On the way back to Braga, I'm sure the deal broke down. When I got home, I texted Mourinho about the surgery. Me, my parents and my agent just wait.
My father kept asking, "What's the news?".
"Not yet".
I sweat. I'm shaking. Finally. Ting!
Everyone looks at me. I looked down on the screen. Message from Mourinho: "Diogo, I don't care about that injury. You're taking five months off. But I'm signing with you for the next 10 years".
You can't imagine how much tears have fallen. My mother cried. My father cried in a way I had never seen before. Even my agent has eyes red. Ten seconds before that was the worst day of my life. And then Mourinho saw in me something that I had never seen in myself.
Deprived in Man Utd, and Maldini helped regain confidence in Milan
Three months later, December 2018, Mourinho was fired. I'm really sad. He trusted me so deeply that we formed a special bond. Then we got a new coach.
The following summer, we had new coverbacks. The next season, I thought I'd only kick about 10 games in every arena. Ten games.
"Dalot is absent from injury".
"Dalot sitting Reserve Today".
"Dalot is not in the register".
I feel ashamed to be in the stands. There are matches I watch the same area for club leader, and the CVs next door ask: "Why can't you kick?".
I don't even know how to answer that. I'm not injured. I just wasn't chosen. I was so ashamed that I began to go down to the dressing room watching the game alone through the TV screen.
I played for Porto. I was once considered a great talent. Now I'm not even on the bench. I'm wasting my years. I'm losing time. What am I doing here?
Preliminary Luis Diaz was pursued by Diego Dalot during the Battle of Man Utd peace Liverpool 2-2 in the 32nd British Infractorials on Old Trafford Field, Manchester on 7 April. Image: Reuters
When loaned to Milan the following summer, my plan was always to return to Man Utd. Milan made me feel like a real footballer again. I learned a lot there, especially from Paolo Maldini.
He could sit all day in his office, drink espresso and simply Paolo Maldini. But no. He's in the gym every day. Mohammad, rain or cold. He was always standing there watching us.
One day Maldini called me out to talk privately. I think you'll give me tactical advice. Here's the interception. That's a shade. But you're only talking about psychology. "Diogo, you're trying too hard. Stay calm. You're a great player. It's gonna be okay."
When Maldini trusts you, how can you not believe in yourself?
Things Never Told About Cristano Ronaldo
Thank God my idol turned out to be one of the greatest people I've ever met. We could talk for hours in hotels, in gyms, or on the table.
At the time, I liked Milan so much that I thought maybe the two of us could find a solution to remain attached. They really wanted to keep me, and I also had meetings with other clubs.
One day, I received a message from Cristano. I'm going back to Manchester. "
He said Man Utd was the best club in the world. He said we'd come back to the top if we could change a few things. He'll help me and we'll play a lot of games together.
I spoke to the representative. Mournho once wanted me there for 10 years. How could I leave after only two years?
Cristio Ronaldo (left) greeted the rear guard Diogenes Dalot after the Portuguese victory before Switzerland in the 1/8 World Cup 2022 on Lusail Field, Qatar on June 6, 2022. Image: AFP
The season with Cristano was when I was really mature, both as a player and as a human being. I can't count how many times he's been right about everything, because he knows too well what it takes to get to the top.
If someone missed a rally in the gym, he'd recognize it. We used to have a great lead during the first season at the club, but Cristano said, "He's not gonna make it here."
I said, "Cris, he just scored two goals today".
He said, "Yeah, but he didn't have a fire to find the third table."
When your opponent Messi, nothing is ever enough.
I learned a lot from Cristo. On one occasion we were having lunch before the meeting with Young Boys in the Champions League, he said, "I'm very worried".
That man won this tournament five times. But he still yearns for that sixth cup. Honestly, I think he's joking. But then I looked under the table. His right foot is shaking.
He has the ability to process every emotion in three hours. He was once pushed onto the bench in Man Utd and completely unacceptable to that. He yelled. He swears.
I said, "Cris, are you okay?".
He said, "Give me three hours."
Three hours later, he calmed down.
He said, "Yeah, I'm angry. But you think that would affect the rest of my day?".
Even now, every time I meet in the national team, he still says, "Diogo, I'm trying something new".
A medical device. A recovery method. A model of thought. We call them mechanisms. "Hey Cris, is there a new mechanism?
For me, it's totally crazy to have someone still arguing whether he should be at the World Cup.
Is he still running like he was 22? Nope.
Did he score near one goal per game?
Did he make us all better?
The man was 41 years old. He doesn't have to be here, competing with players so young he can be his own. But he's still here. Every time we meet him, we're a little smarter.
Memory of Diogenes Jota and the World Cup for Diogenes Jota
When we lost Diogenes Jota last summer, I refused to believe it was true. I was working alone in Portugal when I saw about ten messages from the representative.
I called Bruno. I'm texting anyone who can find out. Even when his death was confirmed, things were so horrible, I couldn't believe it. A few weeks ago, we even raised the Nations League Cup together.
I can still picture him standing next to me, raising the cup and dancing under the color paper rain.
He was just married, had three wonderful children. 28 years old. And there's still so much to offer.
Diogo Dalot (right) competed with quarterback Diogenes Jota in the FA Cup finals between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Man Utd on Molineux, Wolverhampton, England March 16, 2019. Image: AFP
It is an honor to be his teammate. I remember one of the first times we sat together in preparation for the Portuguese team. We're just watching the game as usual. A goalball was given to the opponent. Suddenly Diogenes Jota wakes up out of the chair, rushes out to the border and begins to generalize fourth referee.
"How can you not see that?".
"When are you gonna blow us once?".
"Come on".
I'm telling you, he's a terrible pressure.
"It's obvious the balls touch their feet".
"I saw it from the bench".
I forgot to mention it. It was just a friendly fight. When Diogo Jota sat down, I was almost worried about him.
"Diogo, are you okay?" I asked.
You know what he does? He turned and smiled. "Of course. Gotta put pressure on the referee," he said.
That's Diogenes Jota. We all know he deserves more for the team. But even when he's sitting on the bench, he's modest and he's always trying to help the team.
He even remembers the names of the referees.
"Hey, Mike, how are your kids? You okay? By the way, that ball was ours. You owe us a decision."
I've heard the guys in the reserve wish the home team lost, because that way they'll have a chance to play. Petya Jota never was. He always makes all the circumstances positive.
When his coffin was taken out of the church, and I saw the pain his wife was suffering, my heart was broken into a thousand pieces.
On the Portuguese team's car, Diogo always sat next to Ruben Neves, his best friend on the team. But at the next rally, the seat was empty.
Ruben sits alone. You can clearly see he doesn't know how to deal with that. None of us do. I think the only thing we can do is continue to pursue the dream of Diogenes Jota.
He longed to see Portugal become a world champion. We will not only fight for our country.
We will fight for Diogenes Jota.
Spring Ping Translation