Rute Cardoso’s moving first-birthday tribute for her daughter honors Diogo Jota, stirring global emotion and remembrance.
Former Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, shared an emotional first-birthday tribute to their youngest child, posting a deeply moving set of photographs that honor the late star. The Instagram carousel — 16 images, including five featuring Jota — sparked an outpouring of love and grief from fans worldwide. The response underscored the lingering impact of the former Portugal forward’s tragic death in July and the lasting bond fans feel with his family.
Cardoso marked her daughter’s milestone with the caption, “A whole year,” accompanied by heart and star emojis. The first photograph, a professionally shot family portrait, shows Rute and Jota dressed in matching pink as they cradle their newborn. Other images capture Jota carrying his daughter out of the hospital on the day of her birth, holding her close in a café, and celebrating together at Anfield after Liverpool’s Premier League triumph. Comments flooded in, reflecting shared sorrow and enduring support.
Jota, 28, died alongside his brother André Silva in a devastating car crash after their Lamborghini suffered a tyre blowout and burst into flames. The accident occurred just two weeks after Jota had married his long-time partner and childhood sweetheart, Rute, in Porto, a day the couple described as “a day we will never forget.” He left behind Rute and their three children: sons Dinis and Duarte, and the baby daughter who turned one this week.
The tribute resurfaced memories of Jota speaking candidly about fatherhood during a Liverpool FC initiative with team-mate Joe Gomez. Reflecting on becoming a parent, he said: “You always think about that moment… I can’t describe the feelings.” He joked that he was “too sensitive” to cut the umbilical cord and offered simple advice to new fathers: “Patience is the key… Each day is a new day.” The clips gained renewed attention alongside the birthday post.
Liverpool continue to honor Jota’s legacy in tangible and heartfelt ways. The club has retired his iconic No. 20 shirt across all teams and held a minute’s silence before their opening Premier League fixture. Fans now sing his song in the 20th minute of every game at Anfield, turning tributes into living rituals that connect matchdays to memory, family, and the community Jota inspired.