Diogo Jota calls Cristiano Ronaldo his “idol,” but he’d rather have one of his Portugal national team teammates play beside him at Liverpool.

If Diogo Jota could bring any member of the Portugal national team to Liverpool, it would be Bernardo Silva rather than Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester City’s Silva is one of the top players in the Premier League because to his brilliance on the ball and his tireless work ethic. City just won the Treble as a team. And it appears like Jota, not Ronaldo, thinks he’s the best player in Portugal right now.

With an unprecedented 123 goals in 201 international appearances, Ronaldo is unquestionably the best Portuguese player in modern history. At age 38, though, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is starting to feel his skills wane and his role as a worldwide superstar diminish.

Jota, a member of Portugal’s national team, chose a teammate other than Ronaldo, who is now playing club football in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr, as the player he would most want to sign for Liverpool. The Liverpool striker told That’s Football, “Bernardo. “For me, he’s definitely one of the most brilliant football people I’ve ever encountered, and the way he can conceal the ball from opponents is extraordinary.”

It’s a good call, since Silva under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage at Anfield would likely be unstoppable. Luckily for City, he has committed to them and is flourishing under manager Pep Guardiola.

The 29-year-old was expected to depart Manchester United this summer, either for Barcelona, PSG, or a Saudi Pro League team. The European champions chose to keep Silva around for another three years after he decided to sign a contract extension.

Despite his preference, Jota still respects Ronaldo immensely. Having seen Cristiano Ronaldo play at the top level with Manchester United and win the Ballon d’Or and other accolades, the former Wolves, Porto, and Atletico Madrid star told FourFourTwo in 2021, “Cristiano was my idol.”As a fellow Portuguese, he has always served as an inspiration to me. The fact that I replaced him in my first international game, a November 2019 match against Lithuania, further added to the significance of the experience. Sharing a dressing room with him is a privilege for which I have nothing but gratitude.