In a display of profound grief and solidarity, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and manager Arne Slot led a contingent of players and staff who traveled to Portugal to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva. The somber ceremony took place in Jota's hometown of Gondomar, near Porto.
Jota, 28, and his brother, 25, tragically passed away in a car crash in Zamora, northwestern Spain, in the early hours of Thursday morning. The accident occurred on the A-52 road, reportedly after a tire blowout caused the car, said to be a Lamborghini, to veer off the road and erupt in flames. The brothers were traveling to catch a boat from Santander to England, where Jota was due to rejoin Liverpool for pre-season training.
The Liverpool delegation, including players such as Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, and Federico Chiesa, arrived to pay their respects to their fallen teammate. Former Liverpool players Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Caoimhin Kelleher, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara were also present. Van Dijk and Robertson poignantly carried football shirt-shaped wreaths with Jota's number 20 and Andre's number 30 on the back. The squad members were applauded by crowds as they made their way to the Chapel of the Resurrection, where Jota and his brother lay.
The presence of Arne Slot, who took over as Liverpool's head coach on June 1, 2024, underscored the unity and support within the club during this difficult time. Slot's arrival at Anfield followed three successful seasons with Feyenoord, where he won the league title in 2023 and was twice named Eredivisie Manager of the Year.
The funeral was held at the Igreja Matriz church in Gondomar. Pallbearers carried the coffins of both brothers into the church, followed by relatives, friends, and acquaintances, including players from Gondomar FC, where Jota began his career at age nine.
In addition to Liverpool teammates, several members of the Portugal national team and their manager, Roberto Martinez, attended the service. Manchester City's Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, Chelsea's Joao Felix, and Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes were among the Portuguese stars present. Alisson Becker shared a touching message on social media, explaining that he could not attend due to being in Brazil but felt well-represented by his clubmates.
News of Jota's death prompted an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the football world. Liverpool opened physical and digital books of condolence for supporters to express their sympathies. Hundreds of flowers, shirts, scarves, and cards were laid outside Anfield at a temporary shrine. Tributes were also placed at his former clubs, Wolves, Porto and Pacos de Ferreira. Liverpool FC also postponed the return of players for pre-season following Jota's death.
Jota's passing occurred just weeks after his marriage to his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso. The couple had three children.
