Football fraternity gathers in Portugal to pay final respects to Diogo Jota

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New Delhi: A number of players gathered to attend the funeral of Diogo Jorta and his brother, Andre Silva. From Liverpool players to Portugal national team stars and former teammates, the football world came together in Portugal to honour two lives lost far too soon. Not just them, there was a heavy silence outside the Igreja de Matriz in Gondomar as streams of people also arrived to say their final goodbyes. 

As players walked into the church, there was a strong sense of community but also a shared sombre that was hard to ignore. Many were visibly emotional, some holding back tears as they hugged Jota’s family and each other. The visuals of the funeral are out, with all gathered to pay their last respects. 

Liverpool’s tribute in Gondomar

Liverpool’s players and staff travelled to Portugal on a chartered plane to attend the funeral. The Reds manager, Arne Slot, players Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Alexis Mac Allister and former teammates Jordan Henderson and James Milner stood alongside Jota’s family and friends. Manchester City’s Ruben Dias was also present, offering quiet support.  

Van Dijk and Robertson carried floral tributes shaped like red football shirts, one with Jota’s No. 20 and another with Silva’s No. 30, leading the Liverpool group into the church. 

Thousands pay their respects

On Friday, crowds queued for hours at the Capela da Ressurreicao to attend a public wake. Among those who came to pay respects were Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, and teammates including Darwin Nunez, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, and Bernardo Silva. 

Just a day before, Ruben Neves was seen in tears on the pitch, being comforted by his Al-Hilal teammates ahead of a game in Florida. Now, he stood quietly among mourners in Portugal, remembering his former Wolves and Portugal teammate. When Jota’s passing was announced, Neves had shared photos with a message that read, “You’ll always be there with me, as always.”

Outside Gondomar’s football ground, locals left scarves, shirts, flowers, and handwritten notes in memory of the brothers who started their football journey there. Jota’s legacy at the club is deep with the academy named in his honour. 

The Incident 

Diogo Jota and Andre Silva died after their car left the road in Zamora, Spain, and caught fire while they were travelling to catch a ferry back to England. Jota had been advised not to fly following treatment for a collapsed lung and had chosen to travel by road and sea to return for pre-season training.

In Liverpool, the collection of scarves, shirts, and flowers outside Anfield continued to grow with fans leaving personal messages and memories of the player they admired and loved.

As the football world mourns, it is clear that Diogo Jota’s impact reached far beyond the pitch, bringing people together in both joy and sorrow.