London: As Liverpool prepares to defend their Premier League title in the 2025/26 season, former Liverpool player Stephen Warnock praised the club for retiring the jersey number 20 of late striker Diogo Jota and hailed veteran superstar Mohamed Salah as one of the best players in the world.
Liverpool will begin their title defence at Anfield against Bournemouth on August 16. However, defending the championship at home will be a painful moment for the players and supporters, as there would be no Jota walking down the field after he died in a car accident at the age of 28 in July.
Jota was traveling in the vehicle with his brother when his mishap occurred, according to Sky Sports. In September 2020, Jota joined Premier League side Liverpool. He won the Premier League 2024-25 championship with the Reds. He was also a member of the Liverpool team that lost 10 to Real Madrid in the 2021/22 Champions League final, appearing as a substitute. Last season, the player appeared in 26 games for Liverpool, scoring six goals.
Speaking on JioHotstar during the 'Preview of the Season 2025-26,' Warnock stated that when people think of him, the continuous grin he wore is something they want to see from other players as well.
Someone who genuinely appreciated every day on the pitch. He never took his football for granted, especially since he was at Liverpool. Jota recognized the challenges he had faced since childhood to attain the pinnacle, and he truly appreciated the career he had been offered. He claims that it was evident in every game he played.
The "Forever 20" will feature on Liverpool's jerseys, and the club has announced that the number will be withdrawn. This leaves a legacy. It was a tremendous gesture by Liverpool Football Club, and the decision has been echoed throughout the world as the appropriate thing to do, he said.
Warnock remarked about Salah, who joined the Anfield in 2017 and has already won two Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League, and a FIFA Club World Cup, among other honours, saying that there would be questions about how he could go at the age of 33, always, and whether he still has the drive and desire.
But you can already tell that he absolutely does. That drive and passion distinguish him as one of the top players in world football. Regardless of his money, compensation, or care, it is all about delivering week after week. I believe he will return and score a hat-trick of goals once again, he said.
