Mourners gather in Portugal to remember Jota
A wake for the brothers is being held in Portugal today, with their funeral scheduled for Saturday, following the accident which police suspect was caused by a tyre blowout.
Tributes have poured in from across the football world, including from Liverpool teammates Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, former manager Jurgen Klopp, and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Liverpool Football Club has opened a book of condolence and lowered flags, while Uefa announced a moment of silence at Women's Euro 2025 matches in honour of the brothers.
Jota, 28, who had married less than two weeks ago and had three children, was a highly successful forward for Liverpool, Wolves, and the Portuguese national team.
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Reuters
14 minutes ago
- Reuters
Liverpool's Jota mourned by family and local people at hometown wake
GONDOMAR, Portugal July 4 (Reuters) - Hundreds of residents of Gondomar in northern Portugal filed past the bodies of former Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at a chapel in their hometown on Friday, after their deaths in a car crash in Spain. At an earlier private wake, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, FC Porto President Andre Villas-Boas, Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca and Jota's longtime agent Jorge Mendes joined the brothers' family including Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who had married the footballer just weeks earlier. "It is a moment of great pain for the family, who are left anchored to this tragic accident," Proenca said as he left the wake. "Diogo was an icon for the talent that Portuguese football represents and for its ability to generate unity around a person." The brothers were believed to be driving to a ferry in Spain to travel to the UK when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames after midnight on Thursday. Police said they suspected a tyre had burst. Silva was also a footballer, with Penafiel in the Portuguese second division. Their funeral is expected to take place on Saturday at a nearby church at 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), the office of Gondomar's mayor said. The death of forward Jota at the age of 28 has jolted the world of football, with tributes pouring in from former teammates, clubs, national leaders and fans. "Diogo was a silent hero for everything he represented on and off the pitch," Villas-Boas said as he left the wake. "These are tragic days, days for reflection, and may the memory of these two athletes, these two great men, live on," the former Chelsea manager added. Outside Liverpool's Anfield stadium fans left flowers, scarves and handwritten notes, many from children. "I never thought there would be something that would frighten me off going back to Liverpool after the (summer) break," Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah said on Instagram. "Teammates come and go but not like this. It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back," he added. Football clubs including Paris St Germain -- who have several Portugal internationals in their squad -- Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid observed a moment of silence during training for their matches at the Club World Cup in the United States. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said on Thursday that forward Pedro Neto was weighing up whether to play in Friday's quarter-final against Palmeiras, as the Portuguese international mourned the tragic death of his close friend. Jota's manager at Liverpool, Arne Slot, said in a statement on Thursday that his thoughts were with his family. "My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone," Slot said, using the words of the team's anthem. "For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player, he was a loved one to all of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special," the Dutchman added. In Gondomar, a town of about 160,000 people in the Porto metropolitan area that is known for artisanal gold and filigree jewellery, residents were struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of a local hero. At the Diogo Jota Academy in Gondomar – whose motto is "It's not important where we come from, but where we are going" – people placed candles and flowers, as well as scarves and shirts from the clubs he played for and from the Portuguese national team in tribute to the player. Jota opened the academy in 2022 for children aged six to nine at the Gondomar Football Club where he himself played for 10 years as a child. It was at Gondomar's high school that he met his wife. They began dating aged 15 when in the same class and she became a pillar in his life. When they were 19, they moved to Madrid together, when Jota was transferred from the small Portuguese club Pacos de Ferreira to Atletico Madrid. "Besides being his girlfriend and best friend, I'm his number one fan," Cardoso told the newspaper 'A Bola' at the time. Jota was making his way back to Liverpool by car after he was told he should avoid plane travel for up to six weeks following lung surgery to address a fractured rib, his physiotherapist Miguel Goncalves told broadcaster Now late on Thursday. Goncalves said Jota was recovering well from the pneumothorax surgery and that he had planned to take a ferry to the UK from Spain.
The Independent
15 minutes ago
- The Independent
Wimbledon diary: Portuguese tributes and champagne cork stops play
Following the death of Liverpool's Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva earlier in the week, Portuguese players Francisco Cabral and Nuno Borges both wore black ribbons on court at Wimbledon on Friday. Jota was part of the Portuguese national squad and his compatriots were able to bend the all-white dress rules in SW19 to pay tribute to the 28-year-old. Cabral said: 'I asked for permission to use the black ribbon and they let me play with it. 'It was an honour – it was not for the best reason. He was an inspiration not only for me but for the country in general.' ***** In one of those 'could only happen at Wimbledon' moments, Amanda Anisimova was interrupted by the popping of a champagne cork during her third-round win on Court Three. The American was visibly annoyed and the umpire had to remind fans about their etiquette when players are about to serve. Afterwards, the 13th seed said: 'It kept happening. At some point I was, like, 'Can everybody just do it on the changeover?' 'It was a bit rowdy on that court, too, because you could hear everyone on the sides that are, like, outside of the court. It was definitely a bit distracting.' ***** Heavyweight British boxer Anthony Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn were present in the Royal Box on Friday, joined by former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker. Dame Mary Berry, previously of The Great British Bake Off, was in attendance, and so too was Irish actress and writer Sharon Horgan, star of Bad Sisters and co-creator of Motherland. Astronaut Major Tim Peake was another guest, with physicist and musician Brian Cox taking a seat alongside chef Marcus Wareing. ***** Quote of the day 'I think every tennis player talks to themselves. That's why we're all kind of crazy.' – Naomi Osaka on her inner dialogue during her third-round loss to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Picture of the day Saturday's match of the day Novak Djokovic's quest for a 25th grand slam title will continue on Centre Court, where the 38-year-old will face fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic. Both were born in Belgrade, with the 25-year-old Kecmanovic playing at the tournament for the fourth time and trying to better the third-round finish he achieved in both 2022 and 2024. Djokovic knocked out his Davis Cup teammate the last time they met – in SW19 three years ago – and has won all three meetings. And with Djokovic stating that this tournament is likely to be his best chance of gaining the grand slam title he needs to surpass Margaret Court's all-time record, Kecmanovic will require an inspired display to be the last Serb standing. Saturday's weather forecast Overcast with highs of 22C, according to the Met Office.
Daily Mirror
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool bosses mourn at Diogo Jota wake with Premier League stars & team-mates
Mourners from far and wide have been congregating in the town of Gondomar, at the Capela da Ressurreicao, to pay tribute and show their affections for Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva, following their tragic deaths Sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports' CEO of Football Michael Edwards led a Liverpool delegation in paying tribute to Diogo Jota at his wake in Portugal on Friday night. Former Kop stars Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho, as well as Manchester United's Diogo Dalot - an international team-mate of Jota - also attended the Capela da Ressurreicao in Gondomar, the tragic striker's home town. The world of football has been in mourning following the death of Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, on Thursday. The pair both lost their lives following a car crash near Zamora, close to Spain's north-west border with Portugal. The tragic incident occurred just days after Jota's marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso. Mourners gathered at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, ahead of the brothers' funeral at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme at 10am on Saturday. Initially held in private for family it was later opened up to the public with hundreds queuing around the 17th-century church. Liverpool are preparing to bid an emotional farewell to Jota and his brother at the funeral on Saturday. Liverpool have yet to confirm arrangements but a number of players are expected to attend. Former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager, Andre Villas-Boas, now the president of Porto, was among those who attended the church to pay the club's respects. Speaking afterwards he said: 'They left behind a lot of history. Diogo has a history in the senior team and André has many years from the children's team to the under-19s. 'Diogo, especially as a major public figure, was a silent hero. We all appreciated everything he represented, not only on the field, but also off it. He was a partner of FC Porto with its Esports team. Someone who will be well remembered, just like his brother. 'Let us hope that the memory of these two athletes, two great men, will live on in time.' Nottingham Forest's Jota Silva, born in Gondomar, and Jota's former Wolves and Portugal team-mate Joao Moutinho were among those to attend the chapel, along with the president of the Portuguese Football Federation Pedro Proenca and super agent Jorge Mendes, who broke down in tears outside the venue. A delegation from Paços de Ferreira, Jota's first club, laid a yellow wreath The country's president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and prime minister Luis Montenegro both attended in person, while members of the Portuguese parliament paid tribute to the two brothers too. Mohamed Salah, one of the last Liverpool players to share his grief on social media, admitted he was dreading returning to the club in the wake of Jota's shock death. Some players were due back on Friday to begin the preliminaries of pre-season testing but the first tranche of a phased return was postponed as everyone at the club continues to try to come to terms with the tragedy. 'I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break,' Salah wrote on social media. 'Team-mates come and go but not like this. It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back. 'My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children. Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten.' Diogo Jota's wedding caterer has also paid tribute to the star and told how he saw him at his happiest on the day of the nuptials. Rui Paula, who has two michelin stars, said: 'The last time I saw him was at the wedding. On the last day, he had a meal with Rute (his wife) and the children, and then got in the car to go to Liverpool. His wife was supposed to follow today, Friday, with the children. 'The wedding was all organised, very beautiful. I did the catering, there was a band playing, he was happy. The wedding was at the Igreja da Lapa, in Porto, and the catering was in Marco de Canaveses. He arrived and asked me to prepare him something to eat because he was hungry, as the wedding had been delayed. But when I went to Liverpool for the menu tasting, for the wedding, he was also happy. "At the wedding he was super happy. At a wedding there's always some worry and anxiety, but he was very happy, completely happy. They met very young, had three children, lived in Liverpool, and that's where I got to know them better. "What I feel is that they are all humble people; fame hasn't gone to their heads, they're impeccable people, and Diogo was a simple, professional, dedicated, gentle, kind young man - everything you could wish for in a good person. This is a huge tragedy, because just think, his parents have lost two children, and his wife is left with three little ones. They had only been married for 15 days on Sunday. 'All of Portugal is shaken - I can't remember seeing people so affected, so sad. His character was that of a good person, even if you didn't know him, you could look at him and see he was a good person. Low profile, grounded, didn't flaunt his wealth, he was an impeccable young man. May God rest his soul. 'On the pitch he was a professional, but off the pitch he was even better. 'I just want to say, these moments are so painful, so intense… this is a tragedy, isn't it? And so, what I wish for the family is a lot of strength. If there's any purpose to this happening? I don't know if there is. Hold on to faith as well, because it's very hard for a parent to lose two children and for Rute to be left with three children on her own. "They have to be strong people, try to carry this in as light a way as possible. Because the pain of this tragedy will be immense. "I wish them a lot of strength, a lot of love, and that they stay united to steer this ship to a safe harbour, because it will be a heavy ship. And I want to say that Diogo Jota was an absolutely wonderful person.'
