Liverpool teammates and coach attend Diogo Jota's funeral in Portugal
Diogo, who played as a winger for the club and for the Portugal national team, died in a tragic car crash alongside his brother André Silva in the Zamora region of Spain. They were only 28 and 25 years old, respectively.
The brothers are set to be laid to rest in their native Portugal on Saturday (July 5), with Liverpool teammates past and present, as well as first team manager Arne Slot, in attendance at the wake and funeral since Friday. Liverpool winger Diogo Jota and his brother are to be laid to rest on Saturday following their tragic deaths. Pic: FC Porto
Teammates Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson arrived in Portugal alongside Liverpool alumni James Milner and Jordan Henderson on Saturday morning for the brothers' funeral, with Alexis Mac Allister, Conor Bradley, Curtis Jones and other teammates among those in attendance.
Portugal teammates Diogo Dalot and Bernardo Silva, who play for Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, also paid their respects to the winger and Andre at the Capela da Ressurreicao in Gondomar, just outside of Porto.
Diogo just married his long term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three children, 10 days before the tragedy — with her arriving at the church early on Friday morning. Liverpool and Portugal teammates past and present attended the brothers' wake, including Darwin Nunez (pictured) and Jordan Henderson. Pic:It is understood that the Lamborghini that the pair were driving in suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking a car on the A52 highway in Zamora, which then caught fire. The pair were en route to Santander to catch a ferry back to the UK, after Mr Jota was advised against flying to the UK following minor surgery.
Tributes have flooded in for the pair following Thursday's tragedy, with floral tributes being paid to the pair outside Liverpool's home ground of Anfield. Teammates and former coaches also paid tribute to them on social media, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp saying that such a tragedy has left him heartbroken.
'This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can't see it!' Mr Klopp wrote on Instagram. 'I'm heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother André. 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!' Bernardo Silva, Diogo's Portugal teammate, also attended the ceremony in Gondomar, just outside Porto. Pic:The Portuguese Federation of Football (FPF) also paid tribute to Diogo and André, saying in a statement following their deaths that the country 'lost two champions.'
'The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are utterly devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva this morning in Spain,' the Portuguese Football Federation's President, Pedro Proença, said.
'Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community.
'On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players,' Mr Proença continued.
'We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day.'
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The Journal
32 minutes ago
- The Journal
Diogo Jota's Liverpool teammates gather for footballer's funeral
DIOGO JOTA'S FAMILY, friends and his fellow Liverpool players have gathered for the footballer's funeral in Portugal following his death in a car crash in Spain. The father-of-three, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the accident, died alongside his brother, Andre Silva, after a Lamborghini they were travelling in burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout in the early hours of Thursday morning. Jota's family arrived at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church in the town of Gondomar near Porto this morning, followed by Reds manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil Van Dijk and team-mates including Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez. Also at the funeral for the Portuguese international were his national team-mates Bruno Fernandes, of Manchester United; Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, of Manchester City; Joao Felix and Renato Veiga of Chelsea; Nelson Semedo from Wolves; Joao Moutinho, Rui Patricio and Ruben Neves. Former Liverpool player Fabinho, Porto FC president Andre Villas-Boas and Portugal national team manager Roberto Martinez also attended. The coffins of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva are brought into the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar. PA PA Some of the players carried wreaths shaped like football shirts as they arrived at the church. Family and friends gathered for the brothers' wake on Friday, with a queue forming outside the Portuguese chapel. Advertisement The brothers' parents attended the Sao Cosme Chapel, the Capela da Ressurreicao, in Gondomar, with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and Jota's agent also there. People held service sheets featuring pictures of both brothers, the largest one showing Jota smiling in his Liverpool FC shirt and making a heart sign with his hands. Tributes have been paid across the sporting world to Diogo Jota after Thursday's fatal crash. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Liverpool Football Club postponed the return of their players for pre-season following Jota's death and players past and present paid tribute to him and his brother on social media. A sea of floral tributes had been left outside Anfield, with many Liverpool fans and supporters of other clubs looking to pay their respects. 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. Jota and Silva were found dead after the car crashed on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday. olice 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. 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. No other vehicles are said to have been involved in the incident. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Cristiano Ronaldo misses Diogo Jota's funeral as reason for absence emerges
Cristiano Ronaldo chose not to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, as it is believed he felt his fame could bring the attention away from the two tragic brothers. A large number of their former colleagues attended the ceremony at a church in Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, following Jota and Silva's fatal car accident in Spain. Former team-mates from Liverpool, Wolves, the Portugal national team and many others joined other friends and family in saying goodbye to the two siblings. Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were spotted bringing red blooms into the church, Manchester United captain and Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes also attended, as did Ruben Neves, Jota's ex-colleague with the national team and Wolves. Neves, who jetted in from the United States after playing for Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup, was one of the pallbearers who took the coffin into the church. However, Ronaldo wasn't seen among the congregation at the service, led by Jose Manuel Macedo at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar. According to the Mirror, Ronaldo opted not to visit the small town to prevent his fame from eclipsing the tribute to the two brothers. The football star – wary his presence may overshadow the farewell – has kept out of the spotlight recently, sticking close to his family. Ronaldo did take to social media with a poignant homage to Jota after the awful news emerged on Thursday. His post read: "It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just gotten married. "To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you." In a show of solidarity, Liverpool's Van Dijk and Robertson were joined by team-mates Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and manager Arne Slot. Former Reds players Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson and James Milner also paid their respects. The tragic accident that claimed Jota and his brother occurred when their Lamborghini veered off the road in north west Spain and burst into flames early on Thursday morning. The subsequent funeral came after a private wake on Friday, attended by Jota's recent bride Rute Cardoso and his family. The Portuguese Football Federation released a heartfelt statement following the devastating event. They wrote: "Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his team-mates and opponents. "He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community. On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players. "We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day."
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Heartbroken Rute Cardoso clings to family as she bids farewell to husband Diogo Jota
The heartbroken widow of Liverpool winger Diogo Jota was comforted by friends and family as she bid farewell to her late husband. Diogo, who was a winger for Liverpool, was tragically killed in a car crash alongside his brother André Silva in the Zamora region of Spain. His tragic death comes just 10 days after his wedding to Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three children. The heartbroken widow of Liverpool winger Diogo Jota was comforted by friends and family as she bid farewell to her late husband. Pic: PA Diogo and André were laid to rest in their native Portugal on Saturday (July 5), with Rute being photographed lying on her husband's coffin as mourners lined the streets to bid farewell to the players. Rute and Diogo began dating in 2012, sharing two sons and a daughter together before Diogo popped the question in 2022. They got married in 2025, just 10 days before his untimely death. In a now heartbreaking post on his Instagram just before his passing, he shared a video of his wedding day, which saw him and Rute walk down the aisle and exchange vows. The late footballer captioned the video 'a day we will never forget.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@extradotie) Diogo's Liverpool teammates Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson and coach Arne Slot attended the funeral in his native Gondomar, near Porto, with crowds lining the streets and applauding as the brothers' coffins were led into the church. Born in a family of four in 1996, Diogo started making a name for himself while playing youth football for local side Gondomar before joining Pacos de Ferreira's academy in 2013. He chose against going by his last name Silva, to differentiate himself from other Diogo's and Silva's in the teams he'd play for; with Jota being the Portuguese pronunciation of the letter J. Diogo and Rute share three children together, and married just 10 days before his untimely death on Thursday. Pic: Rute Cardoso/Instagram Jota made his debut for Pacos at just 17 years old and it wasn't long until he was picked up by Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in 2016. He wouldn't go on to make an appearance in the Spanish capital but he was loaned back to his hometown club FC Porto where he had a breakout season in 2016/17, scoring 8 goals as Porto. As one of the brightest prospects in Portuguese football at this point it came as a shock then when Jota made the move to the midlands of England to join Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves were undergoing a revolution of the club which saw many Portuguese talents join but Jota would go down as one of the best. He played a crucial part in Wolves getting promoted from the Championship to the Premier League, scoring 17 goals in 44 games before establishing the side in the Premier League scoring nearly 20 goals over two season as Wolves established themselves as a strong Premier League side. His form in the midlands would see him make the big money move to Anfield to join Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool for £40million in September 2020. He would play a crucial part in the most successful period in Liverpool's recent history. He won the FA Cup in 2022 and played a part in Liverpool reaching the Champions League final that same year where they lost to Real Madrid in Paris. Jota's club success would translate to the International stage as he played a part in multiple tournaments for Portugal. Since making his debut in 2019 Jota earned 50 caps for his nation, including at the 2020 and 2024 European Championships as well as the 2022 World Cup. He most recently won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal, after they beat Spain 5-3 on penalties.
