Italy squeeze past Belgium at Euro 2025 as grieving Portugal await Spain
Arianna Caruso thumped in the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time to give the Italians all three points in Sion and provisional first place in Group B.
Advertisement
Bayern Munich midfielder Caruso's strike was the only real highlight of a game which began with a moment's silence for Portugal men's star Diogo Jota who died in a car crash earlier on Thursday.
Both matches on Thursday and Friday will feature the tribute to Jota whose death at 28 years old with his younger brother Andre Silva stunned the football community.
Spain's Civil Guard said a vehicle veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight in the municipality of Cernadilla in the northwestern Zamora province.
The Civil Guard added that they believed the crash was caused by a blown out tyre as an overtaking manoeuvre was being performed with his Lamborghini.
His compatriots in Portugal's women's team will line up against Spain later on Thursday in Bern where fans of both sides will join in honouring the memory of Jota.
td/nf
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
WNBA Coach Breaks Silence After Cutting Player Following 18-Hour Flight
The Golden State Valkyries are in their inaugural season in the WNBA and have gotten off to a decent start. But the Valkyries caught some negative attention this week. On Monday, the team decided to cut Julie Vanloo. The former Washington Mystics player was playing for Team Belgium in the EuroBasket tournament and helped lead them to a title. Advertisement Vanloo then decided to skip the Team Belgium celebration and take a long flight from Europe to the Bay Area to rejoin the team. Unfortunately, the Valkyries cut her right after she arrived in a gut-wrenching move. Vanloo then took to Instagram with a lengthy post that showed her true feelings on the decision. On Wednesday, Valkyries head coach Natalia Nakase spoke about that move and had a surprising take. 'From my perspective, I would say that was respectful because whenever a situation like that happens, you bring them in and, as an adult, you say things face to face,' Nakase said. 'I think that was out of respect.' It's quite the take from the head coach. Advertisement Is it justified? Perhaps. But, it's also noteworthy that Vanloo left the Team Belgium celebration early to fly all the way to join the team and probably did not get much time to re-acclimate to the environment before being cut. She had appeared in nine games for Golden State before going to Europe and playing for Belgium, so this was certainly a surprising decision, especially with the way things unfolded. All in all, it isn't the best look for Golden State, and Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin did not address the media on Wednesday. Related: WNBA Player Gets Sad News Shortly After Long Flight WNBA Coach Breaks Silence After Cutting Player Following 18-Hour Flight first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 3, 2025
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp offers touching message after ex-player Diogo Jota's death
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp wrote a moving tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash early Thursday morning. Klopp, who coached Jota for four seasons at Liverpool, said Thursday he was 'heartbroken' by the news. 'This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can't see it!' Klopp posted on Instagram. 'I'm heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre. Advertisement 'Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much! All my prayers, thoughts and power to [Diogo's wife] Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace — Love.' 3 Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he was 'heartbroken' by the death of Diogo Jota. AP Jota and Silva, also a professional soccer player, were found dead after their car went off a road on a highway in Zamora, a province in northwest Spain. Advertisement The 28-year-old Jota, from Portugal, joined Liverpool in 2020, playing under Klopp until the manager left the team in May 2024. Before Liverpool, Jota played for Wolves (2017-21) and Portuguese teams Paços (2014-16) and Porto (2016-17). 3 Diogo Jota is pictured during a match on April 2. REUTERS Current Liverpool manager Arne Slot spoke on the tragedy as well, calling the accident an 'unimaginable loss.' Advertisement 'What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not,' Slot said in a statement Thursday. 'All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about.' 3 People view tributes to soccer player Diogo Jota at Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC, on July 3. ADAM VAUGHAN/EPA/Shutterstock Advertisement Slot coached Jota for the 2024-25 season, during which Liverpool won the Premier League title. 'My first thoughts are not those of a football manager,' Slot continued. 'They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Mourners to gather for Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota's wake in Portugal
Mourners are set to gather to honour Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, a local parish priest has said. The 28-year-old father of three, who had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days ago, died in a car crash in Spain alongside his brother Andre Silva after a Lamborghini they were travelling in veered off the road and burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout. The pair were found dead following the crash on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday. Jose Manuel Macedo, parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, told the PA news agency in a translated message that a wake for the brothers will take place at 8am at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao before their funeral at the Igreja Matriz on Saturday at 10am. Tributes from the football world and beyond flooded in for the Portuguese forward on Thursday. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said the 'sense of shock is absolute' for the club. 'Diogo was not just our player,' he said. 'He was a loved one to all of us. 'I could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it. Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. 'The essence of what a Liverpool player should be.' Slot said the player 'never sought popularity' but gained it anyway and was a friend to everyone, able to make others feel good about themselves 'just by being with them'. He said the last time they spoke he wished Jota luck for his upcoming wedding. 'In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this,' Slot added. He recalled learning, when he first came to the club, of the song Liverpool fans sang for Jota and said he knew 'straight away' that meant the player must have 'special qualities'. 'When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song,' Slot said. 'For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten.' The club has opened physical and digital books of condolence in the wake of the deaths, and supporters and members of the public can go to the Anfield Road Stand reception area over the coming days to sign a message. The online book can be found at Flags have been lowered to half-mast at the stadium and all club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday, with staff offered wellbeing support. The Portuguese Football Federation also said it was 'devastated' to learn of the deaths, adding: 'Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football.' Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking, and a source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed 'a possible speeding incident' was being looked at. No other vehicles are said to have been involved in the incident. Pictures of the aftermath of the crash showed debris scattered along the side of the road including what appeared to be charred parts of the vehicle. Liverpool fans started leaving tributes outside Anfield on Thursday morning, with flowers being laid with messages including 'Thanks for everything, Diogo'. Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He joined the Merseyside club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, winning three major trophies. Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota's family 'all the strength in the world' following the Liverpool forward's death. A translated version of his message on Instagram said: 'Doesn't make any sense. 'Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married. 'To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. 'I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.' The Prince of Wales, patron of the FA, said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of Jota's death, adding: 'Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew him.' Jota and his wife got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together – two sons and a daughter who was born in November. He frequently shared pictures of himself and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland. They also have three pet beagles. On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: 'A day we will never forget.'
