
'We will all miss you': Cristiano Ronaldo on Diogo Jota's death
The Liverpool and Portugal star, 28, died along with his younger brother Andre when their vehicle veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight in the municipality of Cernadilla in Zamora province, Spain.
"It makes no sense. We were just together with the national team (they won the Nations League title last month), you had just gotten married," he posted on X.
"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."
Jota's death comes only a month after he and Ronaldo were celebrating on the pitch after Portugal won the Nations League title beating Spain on penalties. - AFP

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New Straits Times
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- New Straits Times
Jota 'will never be forgotten', says heartbroken Slot
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Diogo Jota will be remembered as a "friend to everyone" after the Portuguese international died in a car crash on Thursday. The 28-year-old died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames. Jota struck 65 times in 182 appearances since joining the Reds in 2020 and helped Liverpool win the Premier League in Slot's first season in charge earlier this year. "When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song," Slot said in a statement. "For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten." Jota wed his long-time partner and mother of his three children, Rute Cardoso, less than two weeks ago. "My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. 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," added Slot. "My message to them is very clear - you will never walk alone. "The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football." Jota, who was capped 49 times by his country, was a popular figure among the Liverpool support, who laid hundreds of bouquets of flowers, shirts and flags in tribute at the club's Anfield Stadium. "I could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it," said Slot. "Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool player should be. "There were also the parts that not everyone got to see. The person who never sought popularity but found it anyway. Not a friend to two people, a friend to everyone.


New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Joy and grief as Portugal remember Jota at Women's Euros
BERN: Sadness and celebration went hand in hand when a minute's silence in honour of Portuguese international Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who were killed in a car accident on Thursday, gave way to a celebration of life and football as Portugal took on Spain at the Women's Euros. The game may have ended 5-0 to Spain but it was undoubtedly the Portuguese fans who won the battle in the stands as they put aside their grief to instead display their passion for all the world to see. "At this moment, we continue to depend only on ourselves and we will do everything, as long as it is so, to make the Portuguese proud," Portugal coach Francisco Neto told Sport TV. "On the field, we were inferior to Spain – off the field, there is no doubt that we won by a landslide," Though the usual ear-splitting pre-game music thundered from the speakers, there was an unmistakable pall of grief in the stadium as Portuguese fans clutched signs paying tribute to the 28-year-old Liverpool player and his brother, the simplest of them summing up the feelings of the football world: "Thank you, Diogo Jota." Packed behind one of the goals, the Portuguese fans roared through an impassioned rendition of their national anthem before honouring the brothers with an impressive minute of complete calm ahead of kick-off, with fans holding up letters spelling out "Rest in peace, Diogo Jota" in Portuguese. Speaking to reporters on the way in to the stadium, the president of the Portuguese parliament Jose Aguiar Branco said the country would honour the pair for their contribution to the sport. "Tomorrow in the Assembly of the Republic, we will vote on the motion of condolence that I will present in order to honour the memory of these two young people and also the legacy that they leave to national sport," he said. The Portuguese fans brought the minute's silence to a respectful end with a ripple of applause that quickly spread around the ground and, on a dark day for football, they then burst into song as the game kicked off, clapping, drumming and cheering on the players wearing the shirt that Jota proudly wore on 49 occasions. A disastrous first half saw the Portuguese concede four goals and Spain were able to add another strike late in the second. But Portugal's fans still sang and applauded them after the final whistle – for them, this night will be remembered for something much, much more than just football. --REUTERS


New Straits Times
an hour ago
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Spain thump Portugal to make Euro 2025 statement
BERN: Spain showed why they are favourites to win Women's Euro 2025 by hammering Portugal 5-0 in their Group B opener on Thursday as both teams paid tribute to Portuguese men's international Diogo Jota who was killed in a car crash. The world champions were two ahead inside seven minutes in Bern thanks to goals from Esther Gonzalez and Vicky Lopez and never looked back from there, rattling in three more thanks to Alexia Putellas, another for Gonzalez and a late header from Cristina Martin-Prieto. "What I enjoyed the most was starting quickly, starting like this allows you to be more patient and wait for Portugal who were forced to attack," said Spain coach Montse Tome. "I think the team did brilliantly and I'm very happy." La Roja lead Italy, 1-0 winners against Belgium, on goal difference after showing no mercy to Portugal who were grieving compatriot Jota after his death alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in northern Spain. Portuguese fans marched to the ground ahead of the match with banners and chants honouring Jota and the tributes continued once supporters were in the Wankdorf Stadium. The capacity crowd stood for a moment's silence while a group of Portugal fans held up cards which read "Rest in Peace", while a banner said "thanks for everything." "I would like to take a moment to pay respects to Diogo and his brother and say that we're thinking of his family," said Portugal coach Francisco Neto. "I was assistant coach for the under-19s when he played there and we met there. We kept contact. He always knows the result (of the women's team), he followed the team and the players. This is the culture in Portugal. Today is a really, really sad day." A difficult day for Portuguese football was made worse less than 90 seconds after kick-off when Gonzalez brilliantly brought down Olga Carmona's high ball before poking past goalkeeper Ines Pereira. And 18-year-old Lopez became Spain's youngest ever scorer at a women's Euros in the seventh minute when the Barcelona winger slid home Mariona Caldentey's low cross. Captain Putellas, who missed the last Euros three years ago with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, got in on the act four minutes before the break with a brilliant touch to send Diana Gomes packing before confidently netting. Spain were relentless and Gonzalez was in the right place at the right time moments later when Claudia Pina's cross bounced back off the post, onto her and into the net. Tome had more good news in the shape of Aitana Bonmati who has recovered well enough from viral meningitis to play the final 10 minutes, by which time Spain had long since taken their foot off the gas. Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Bonmati only returned to training with the Spain squad on Wednesday and her cameo is a major boost to Spain who have never won a women's European championship. And she was on the field to see Martin-Prieto complete the rout moments before the final whistle by heading in Salma Paralluelo's cross. "She already wants to play more and it's a pleasure to have players with that kind of mentality," added Tome. Earlier Arianna Caruso thumped in the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time to give Italy all three points against Belgium in Sion. "It's the result we wanted. We grew into the game because we knew we had to manage our emotions for the first game," said Italy coach Andrea Soncin. "As the match when on we loosened up and out quality showed through." Bayern Munich midfielder Caruso's strike was the only real highlight of a game which boosted Italy's hopes of taking the other quarter-final spot with Spain seemingly certain to top the group.--AFP