FILIPE JOTA will NOT be mixing with his Celtic team-mates Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Aaron Mooy and Josip Juranovic in the World Cup Finals in Qatar.
The flamboyant winger had been named in Portugal head coach Fernando Santos’ 55-man provision squad for the soccer showpiece.
Unfortunately, though, Jota has failed to make the final cut with the player pool trimmed to 26 for the global competition which will kick off a week on Sunday when the hosts play Ecuador and reach its conculsion with the silverware showdown on December 18.
GOAL…Filipe Jota steers a shot past Livingston keeper Jack Hamilton for Celtic’s third in the 3-0 win.
NO GOAL…Filipe Jota chips the ball over Motherwell netminder Liam Kelly, but the effort is controversially ruled out by VAR in the Hoops’ 2-1 victory.
The 23-year-old raider, who has played at several levels for his country, has yet to represent the full international team.
Undoubtedly, the former Benfica star will be disappointed to be overlooked, but he admitted at the time of his inclusion in the preliminary group that just being in the manager’s mind was more than enough for him.
As CQN reported at the time, Jota said: “That’s a very good moment for me and for my family. I’m just grateful for everything that is going on.
“Two years ago I was not even playing for any club. I was at a club of course, but I wasn’t having many minutes.
“Two years later, to be on this 55-man list is something very good for me, but this is just another step.
“I just need to keep working and enjoying it on the pitch, and everything will come naturally.”
FANS’ FAVOURITE…Filipe Jota celebrates his goal with the Celtic supporters at Livingston.
Jota was in the headlines again during the week for all the wrong reasons after VAR controversially ruled out what looked a perfectly good goal in the champions 2-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park.
The ramifications are still being felt with the Parkhead chiefs demanding clarification on some crucial points.
The entertaining attacker hopes it is business as usual when Ross County provide the opposition at Parkhead tomorrow afternoon before the World Cup break and everyone is talking about his skills and not some refereeing blooper.
