The football world united in grief and remembrance as Liverpool players and Portuguese national team members gathered in Gondomar, Portugal, on Saturday, July 5, 2025, to pay their respects to Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, at their funeral. The brothers tragically died in a car crash in Spain on Thursday.
The funeral service was held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church in their hometown, near Porto, in northern Portugal. Hundreds of mourners, including family, friends, and fans, lined the streets to pay their respects as the coffins were carried into the church. The Bishop of Porto, Manuel Linda, presided over the private service, offering an emotional homily to Jota's parents, wife, and three young children, reminding them that "solidarity in love is always stronger than death". His words were broadcast to those standing outside the church.
Liverpool's presence was significant, with current and former players and staff showing their support. Captain Virgil van Dijk carried a red floral arrangement in the shape of a Liverpool shirt with Jota's number 20 in white, while Andrew Robertson bore a similar tribute with the number 30, representing André Silva's number at Penafiel. Manager Arne Slot also attended. Other Liverpool players present included Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa, Wataru Endo, Caoimhin Kelleher, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Núñez, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo. Former Liverpool players Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara also joined the mourners. Henderson was seen wiping away tears at a vigil outside Anfield, where fans left flowers, flags, and pictures in Jota's memory.
Many of Jota's teammates from the Portuguese national team were also in attendance, including Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Manchester City's Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias. Rúben Neves, a close friend and former teammate of Jota's from Wolverhampton, served as a pallbearer, flying in from Florida after a Club World Cup match. Joao Cancelo also attended after playing in the same match. Portugal's national team coach, Roberto Martínez, was also present, emphasizing the unity and support within the Portuguese football family. "These are really, really sad days, as you can imagine," Martínez said. "But today we showed we are a large, close family... Their spirit will be with us forever".
The deaths of Diogo Jota, 28, and André Silva, 25, have sent shockwaves through the footballing world and beyond. Jota, a father of three, had just married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, 11 days before the crash. Silva was an attacking midfielder for Penafiel in the second tier of Portuguese football. The brothers were reportedly traveling to catch a boat from northern Spain to England, where Jota was due to rejoin Liverpool after a summer break. The Lamborghini they were driving veered off the A-52 road in northwestern Spain and burst into flames following a suspected tire blowout.
Tributes have poured in from national leaders and across the sport. The Municipality of Gondomar decreed three days of mourning. Liverpool is reportedly planning to retire Jota's number 20 jersey as a mark of respect. The funeral was a testament to the impact Diogo Jota and André Silva had on and off the pitch, bringing together people from all walks of life to mourn their loss and celebrate their lives.
