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Liverpool teammates gather in Portugal for Jota funeral

Liverpool teammates gather in Portugal for Jota funeral

CNA9 hours ago
GONDOMAR, Portugal -:Liverpool players were gathering in the small Portuguese town of Gondomar on Saturday for the funeral of their English Premier League soccer teammate Diogo Jota, who died with his younger brother in a car crash in Spain on Thursday.
Club captain Virgil Van Dijk, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and manager Arne Slot were among teammates past and present who arrived in Portugal late on Friday to pay their respects to the striker and his brother, Andre Silva.
They are expected to join the grieving family and hundreds of residents of Gondomar, a small town in northern Portugal where Jota grew up, for the funeral at the Igreja Matriz church.
Rute Cardoso, who married Jota just weeks ago, is expected to be accompanied by the couple's three young children.
Jota's death at the age of 28 sent shock waves through the world of football and beyond, with messages of condolences pouring in from national leaders as well as across the sport.
The brothers were believed to have been driving to a ferry in Spain to travel to Britain when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames after midnight on Thursday. Police said they suspected a tyre had burst.
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Liverpool players join family for Diogo Jota's funeral
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Liverpool players join family for Diogo Jota's funeral

GONDOMAR, Portugal: Carrying a red floral wreath bearing his shirt number, Diogo Jota's Liverpool teammates joined relatives and residents in a small Portuguese town on Saturday (Jul 5) for the funeral of the football star, who died with his brother in a car crash on Thursday. Club captain Virgil Van Dijk, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and manager Arne Slot were among Liverpool teammates past and present who attended the service in Gondomar for the striker and his brother, Andre Silva. The English Premier League stars carried two floral tributes in the club's red colour into the chapel, each in the shape of a shirt. The one carried by Van Dijk had the number 20 written in white flowers, which Jota wore on his Liverpool shirt. The other bore the number 30, which was worn by Jota's brother, who played for FC Peñafiel in Portugal's second division. Dressed in black and with their heads bowed, the teammates entered the church in silence. The only sound was the applause from the crowd outside. Rute Cardoso, who married Jota only weeks before the fatal crash, arrived with relatives. Hundreds of residents of Gondomar, a small town in northern Portugal where Jota grew up, gathered outside. The private service for family and close friends was presided over by the Bishop of Porto, Manuel Linda. In an emotional homily addressed to Jota's parents, his wife and their three young children, Linda said "solidarity in love is always stronger than death". Teammates from the Portugal national squad, including Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes, who both play in the English Premier League, also attended the service. "Jota will always be in our hearts. He will always be present at every breakfast, lunch, dinner, at all our national team get-togethers, at our PlayStation games, at our card games," Silva told Portuguese broadcaster TVI. Jota's death at the age of 28 sent shock waves through the world of football and beyond, with messages of condolences pouring in from national leaders as well as across the sport. Liverpool opened a book of condolences and lowered flags to half-mast, with dozens of supporters laying a sea of flowers, balloons, Jota shirts, and scarves with the message "Rest in peace Diogo Jota", outside Anfield stadium. The brothers were believed to have been driving to a ferry in Spain to travel to Britain when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames after midnight on Thursday. Police said they suspected a tyre had burst.

Neves serves as pallbearer at Jota funeral hours after emotional Club World Cup match
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ORLANDO, FLA :Al-Hilal's Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo flew to Portugal for the funeral for their former teammate Diogo Jota after an emotional Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense on Friday that saw them break down in tears during the minute's silence. Neves, one of Jota's closest friends, served as a pallbearer for the Liverpool forward who died alongside his younger brother Andre Silva following a car accident in northwestern Spain on Thursday morning when their Lamborghini veered off the road and caught fire. Tributes have continued to pour in for the brothers with footballing greats including Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard, joining the Prime Ministers of Portugal and Britain in mourning the loss. Friday's match between Al-Hilal and Fluminense in Orlando began with players and fans observing a minute's silence in memory of the two brothers. Neves, who played with the 28-year-old Jota during their days at Wolverhampton Wanderers, issued a touching tribute on Instagram about an hour before kick-off. "Wherever you are, I know you're going to read this, we've never been one for this sort of thing and maybe now I'll regret it a little, but you know what you mean to me just as much as I know what I am to you," Neves said. "More than a friendship, we're family, and we're not going to stop being family just because you've decided to sign a contract a little further away from us! "When I go to the national team, you'll still be by my side at the dinner table, on the bus, on the plane... you'll always be there with me, as usual. We'll keep laughing, making plans, sharing our lives with each other. "I'll make sure you're always there and I'll make sure your family never lacks anything while you're there, far away but thinking of us, waiting for us ... "As of today, you'll be on the pitch with me, and we'll follow our path together, on the stage where we met." Chelsea's Portuguese forward Pedro Neto also paid a heartfelt tribute to his friends when he walked out on the field with a shirt bearing their names before their quarter-final against Palmeiras in Philadelphia. "We spoke with Pedro yesterday and this morning and this afternoon and it was completely Pedro's decision to play or not to play," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said after his team's 2-1 win. "He did, he made a fantastic effort to play this game, to play with his teammates, and we really appreciate what he has done. "I just said to the players that this win is especially for him because we know how close he was, and the effort that he has made. So no doubt that we really appreciate what he decided in the end."

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