When Beto joined Everton from Udinese for close to 35 million USD in the late summer transfer window of 2023, he received a surprising Instagram message. It simply read, "Welcome. If you need anything in this city, I'm here to help. Just call me." The sender was Liverpool's Diogo Jota.

At the time, Beto, who has Guinea-Bissau heritage but was born in Portugal, didn't know Jota personally. "Of all the big Portuguese names playing in England, like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Jota was the first to message me, the day I signed or the day after," Beto told The Times. "We may not have been friends, but whenever we met on the pitch, we'd always stop for a quick chat."

Jota (left) and Beto.

"After every Everton-Liverpool match, Jota and I would do that," Beto continued. "I'd ask, 'How are things?' It wasn't just because he was a fellow countryman, but because he was a genuinely kind and humble person. Everyone says the same about him. The day he passed away, I was at home in Portugal, about to fly to Manchester for pre-season training. I was deeply shocked because Jota was such a good person."

Following the car accident that claimed the lives of Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva in early July, the Everton-Liverpool rivalry took a backseat. Beto, along with another Portuguese player, Youssef Chermiti (now at Rangers), placed a wreath alongside an Everton scarf amid the thousands of tributes outside Anfield's main stand. They also signed the condolence book.

In the days that followed, Everton captain Seamus Coleman quietly paid his respects late at night to avoid the cameras. Manager David Moyes also visited, offering condolences to their neighboring club, echoing Everton's support after the Hillsborough disaster.

While Anfield was filled with grief, Beto found a positive element amidst the tragedy. "I saw the solidarity between Everton and Liverpool," he said. "Between the clubs, but especially between the fans. Many Everton fans were heartbroken, because even though Jota was a rival, he transcended football. It's about life, and life is bigger than football."

"I love the people of Liverpool, truly, because they are amazing people," Beto shared. "Sometimes they might hate you, not really hate, but just because you play for the opposing team. It's normal in football. They might say, ‘Beto, you're terrible. Van Dijk will shut you down. We're going to beat Everton.’ But when something serious happens, something related to life, everyone is there, hand in hand, helping each other, because we're all human."

Beto and Everton representatives pay tribute to Jota outside Anfield.

Ironically, Jota scored the decisive goal in the previous derby, his last for Liverpool. Looking ahead to the 247th meeting between the two teams, Beto acknowledged the derby's significance and the intense atmosphere that has surrounded it all week. "If I go to Anfield and the Liverpool fans boo me, that's normal," he said. "They might not think, ‘Oh, Beto is a nice guy, he laid a wreath for Jota.’ It might not be like that because the fans come for the football."

Beto's Merseyside career has been a mixed bag so far. Last season, he enjoyed a prolific spell with 6 goals in 8 games under David Moyes, including one in the last derby at Goodison Park. However, a goalless draw against Aston Villa last weekend left fans frustrated as Beto missed several opportunities. After the game, as usual, he sought out assistant manager Leighton Baines to discuss, analyze, and improve his game.

David Moyes has also been a major influence. During training sessions, he sometimes talks to another player but deliberately speaks loudly enough for Beto to hear. The Scottish manager wants to push and challenge Beto to become the best version of himself. "Moyes does this with all the players," Beto laughed, having welcomed his first son a month ago. "In finishing drills, he asks, ‘Beto, have you scored yet?’ I reply, ‘Yes, I've scored some beautiful goals today.’ Then he turns to the goalkeepers and asks, ‘Hey, Beto says he's scored a lot of goals, is that true?’"

"Moyes teaches me a lot and puts me under a lot of pressure," Beto affirmed. "I go home and think, ‘I have to be better. Otherwise, he'll bench me.’ Sometimes I stay back for extra training with the assistants, even though they say, ‘Beto, that’s enough.’ But I say, ‘No, let me continue. I need to repeat, repeat, repeat to improve.’ I feel I can do better. I need to prove to myself, not just to the coaching staff or the fans, that I deserve to be Everton's number 9," he asserted.

Hoang Thong (The Times)