During Portugal national team training camp preparations, Diogo Jota sat down with AS. The Portuguese forward reflected on the most significant moments of his career and discussed his experience playing for FC Barcelona. What follows is the second part of this exclusive interview.

Related article: [Diogo Jota: If I Really Moved to Real Madrid, I'd Become the Greatest Traitor in Football]

Diogo: I've carefully reviewed all 30 Ballon d'Or nominees. After thoughtful consideration, I noticed some notable absences. Vinícius Júnior not making the list might be surprising, but given his exceptional performances this season, the most surprising omission is actually players from Saudi Arabia. It seems players in that league need to prove themselves more than others. That said, there are other Saudi league players on the list, so it's interesting you didn't make it.

These things are beyond my control. I'm not sure who makes the final decisions, and honestly, I'm not overly concerned about it. I wasn't selected, and I didn't necessarily expect to be. Truth be told, I didn't even know when the nominees were announced. But I can accept it. At the end of the day, public perception still underrates the Saudi league somewhat. It's true it's not among the world's top five leagues, but it's definitely highly competitive. I've actually had a great season, yet I remain calm about the Ballon d'Or nominations.

So players in Saudi Arabia need to perform better than others to prove themselves, is that right?

Perhaps. If we advance further in major continental competitions, things might be different. Who knows? But that's already behind us now.

Among the 30 nominees, who's your pick?

I've always believed the Ballon d'Or should go to a player who has the true charisma of a superstar and can captivate fans—a player who makes you exclaim when watching: "This is a true superstar worthy of leaving an extraordinary mark on football history." If there's one current player who keeps you glued to the television, it's Lamine Yamal. Mbappé and Kane also performed brilliantly this season, but Lamine displays pure football artistry. He's won major trophies with his team, and in competitive years like this, such honors often play a crucial role in the Ballon d'Or race.

And you've witnessed his growth firsthand, having shared the same dressing room at Barcelona, right?

Yes. When he was just emerging, I believe he made his senior debut with the first team in the season before I arrived, but he didn't play much. During the season I was there, around mid-season, he really became a star. I was fortunate to witness his rise and see how he shined on the pitch from the beginning.

Do you see yourself in him? Your playing style also has charm and is memorable—many fans turn on the TV just to watch Diogo Jota play.

Well, how outsiders perceive things depends on the fans' perspective. But I follow FC Barcelona closely, and I watch them mostly to see Lamine because I love his style. His composure and courage when facing strong opponents, and the joy he brings to everyone through football. Watching him play is pure pleasure—even sitting on the sofa at home, the joy from watching him is no less than being in the stadium itself.

However, in the current La Liga landscape, Atlético Madrid has Simeone as coach and Real Madrid has José Mourinho, whom you must know well. Atlético Madrid has held the top position throughout.

Yes. Though José Mourinho is Portuguese, I've never met him personally. We've never crossed paths. But there's no doubt that clashes between FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid always captivate football fans worldwide. For myself though, I watch FC Barcelona the most.

Diogo, what's it been like playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo? What does sharing a team with him mean to you?

In all of football, very few have experienced competing alongside him. I feel honored to have worked with him not only with the Portuguese national team but now at Al Nassr as well—that's the highest honor for me. We grew up watching Cristiano play. He's a spiritual symbol and role model for us. Sharing these important moments in our careers with him, including winning the league championship together last season, is incredibly meaningful. I'm proud and delighted to have helped Cristiano achieve the championship goal he dreamed of since joining the team. We must cherish the present moment, because everyone knows that a legend's journey will eventually end, and we can only do our best to enjoy every minute and every second right now.

Can you imagine yourself providing the assist for his historic 1,000th goal?

I've imagined that scenario for a long time! Of course I've thought about it. When he's just one goal away from breaking the 1,000-goal milestone, every time I get the ball, my first instinct is to look for him to see if I can provide the assist. That goal will be etched in football history forever, and if I could be part of creating that moment, it would undoubtedly be an incredible experience.

Final question, Diogo: What other ambitions do you still have that you want to achieve in your football career? What's your main goal right now? What drives you forward as a footballer?

Continuous improvement, without a doubt. To keep getting better. I feel very comfortable at Al Nassr and I'm about to enter my second year here. When this season ends, I'll only be 27 years old. Deep down, I've always harbored a desire to return to European football. I'm not sure if it will be after this season or next season—the transfer market is unpredictable and full of uncertainty. But the thought of returning to Europe, returning to the Champions League stage, has never faded. I aspire to stand at the pinnacle of European football again, to compete with the world's top clubs. The passion and special motivation that European football brings is incomparable. This has always been a goal deeply rooted in my heart.

That said, you've adapted well to life in Saudi Arabia, and as you mentioned, it's a competitive and challenging league—not as easy as some might imagine.

Absolutely. As I said before, I feel very comfortable and fulfilled here, enjoying football to the fullest. But at the same time, I acknowledge that I've always had the ambition to return to Europe. Whether next year, in two years, three years, or four years—whenever the time is right, I hope to get back to the European football stage for sure.

And winning a major trophy with the national team, right? I'm sure you don't want to follow Spain's path in that regard.

Of course! Naturally, I want to win all the honors for my country. Even though I've already won the Nations League, if I could lift the European Championship or World Cup trophy with the team, that would be an incomparable dream achievement.

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