The 28-year-old Portuguese forward and his brother, André Silva, lost their lives in a car accident in Spain during the early hours of Thursday morning. ..Continue Reading
Initial reports from Spanish authorities indicate that their vehicle suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking, causing it to veer off the road and catch fire.
The Spanish Guardia Civil later confirmed the identities of the victims as Jota and his brother, who played professionally in Portugal’s second tier.
On Saturday, the funeral for both men was held in their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal.
A Liverpool delegation, including manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil van Dijk, and vice-captain Andy Robertson, attended the service to pay their respects.
Several of Jota’s current and former teammates were also present, including Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Thiago, along with Portugal internationals Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and national team coach Roberto Martínez.
FC Porto president André Villas-Boas, Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes, and Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro were also among the mourners.
Ahead of the ceremony, Liverpool confirmed their intention to support Jota’s family by paying out the final two years of his contract, which was set to run until 2027.
Jota had only recently married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, in June, and the couple shared three young children.
Earlier in the day, Pedro Neto paid tribute to his former international teammate by holding up a shirt bearing the names “Diogo” and “André” during a minute’s silence before Chelsea’s Club World Cup match against Palmeiras.
Portugal teammates Rúben Neves and João Cancelo were also visibly emotional during Al Hilal’s match against Fluminense.
Back in the UK, Oasis paused their sold-out concert in Cardiff to honour Jota, displaying his image on the big screen as fans applauded in remembrance.
After the news of his death this week, Slot vowed the club would support the grieving family members, he said: “My message to them is very clear, you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen, the same can be said of the wider family of football.”
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