They Reminisce Over You

Diogo Jota forever.

I’m not quite sure how to start this piece, because up until just a short while ago, I felt pretty numb. That inexplicable sensation when you ask yourself how you’re feeling, but don’t quite know the answer.

That’s where I was as I drove home about 45 minutes ago, before a track played on shuffle in my car. They Reminisce Over You. A true hip-hop classic, and one of my all-time favourites. Not a particularly sad song. But emotional nevertheless, and one that, for some reason, struck a nerve with me.

It’s about a man named Troy Dixon, who died in an freak accident while on tour in 1990. The song was put together by two of his friends, with the lyrics taking the listener on a journey throughout his life. Random moments that ended up becoming memories.

I replayed the track when it ended. And then again. And then again. And then again. And then again. It was the first hint of emotion I’d felt all day, despite learning of Diogo Jota’s tragic death that morning.

The numbness temporarily subsided. I found myself remembering him. Reminiscing.

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I wish I knew Jota as a person. To be fair, I feel like I did. Football is like that sometimes. We’ve lost someone dear to us. Someone important. He didn’t know our names, but we knew his.

Jota the player was a pleasure. This Substack is dedicated to analysis of the colder variety. But he made my job easier. It’s difficult to knock a player as intense and committed as he was. Gifted with both feet, selfless, industrious, effective and multifunctional.

He developed into the master of the moment. The kind of moment that forces you to reminisce decades later. Jota had a knack for going missing for 89 minutes, before scoring the winner in the 90th. A natural poacher. Inevitable, clutch, timeless.

And as much as we place all of our focus on performance in this house. The process behind everything that happens on the pitch. It’s ultimately outcomes that really matter. Showing up. Changing the result. Embracing the spotlight. Seizing the day. Delivering.

You could count on Jota for a moment. He was your man at 0-0. The player who took the score from 2-1 to 3-1 was him. Always him. Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Arsenal, whatever. And always inside the penalty box. Print out his shot map and hang it on your bedroom wall.

A moments player. A memories player. We’ll tell stories about him. We’ll reminisce over him.

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I want to leave you with a short excerpt this week, from a book I’ve been reading of late. Nothing to do with football. But think about Jota. Think about your loved ones. Interpret the words as you wish.

You recently had a day, or even a month, that you can't remember. If I asked what you did then, you couldn't say. There was nothing unusual about it.

What if you have many more of those? What if, when you're older, you can't recall entire years? If you can't remember something, it's like it never happened.

To enjoy your past is to live twice. Nostalgia links your past and present. Nostalgia is memories minus the pain. Turn your experiences into stories. A story is the remains of an experience.

How you feel about anything is based on how you look back at it. The more something means to you, the more you'll remember it. Give moments meaning to remember them. The more memories you create, the longer and richer your life feels. Making memories is how to live.

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Rest in peace, Diogo. We’ll reminisce over you.