Family and Friends Gather in Hometown to Honor Diogo Jota, with Portugal’s Prime Minister in Attendance

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro attended a private wake with the family of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota in his hometown in northern Portugal. This gathering took place following the tragic loss of Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, who both died in a car accident in Spain.

Jota’s long-time agent, Jorge Mendes, was also present, joined by his wife, Rute Cardoso, whom he had married just weeks prior. Montenegro spent approximately thirty minutes with the family, though he left without making any statements.

The hearses carrying the bodies of the brothers departed yesterday evening for Gondomar, near Porto, from the Puebla de Sanabria morgue, where they had been taken after their vehicle—a Lamborghini—veered off the road shortly after midnight. Authorities suspect a tire blowout may have been a contributing factor.

As the news of Jota’s passing at the young age of 28 sent shockwaves through the football community, tributes poured in from former teammates, clubs, national leaders, and fans alike. At Liverpool’s Anfield stadium, supporters left flowers, scarves, and heartfelt notes—many penned by children—as expressions of their grief.

“I never thought there would be something that would frighten me about going back to Liverpool after the summer break,” remarked Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah 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 return,” he added.

Messages of sympathy were not limited to Liverpool. Clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Real Madrid held moments of silence during training sessions leading up to their matches at the Club World Cup in the United States. Jota’s manager at Liverpool, Arne Slot, extended his condolences, saying, “My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone.” He continued, “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 those roles, he was very special.”

In Gondomar, a town of around 160,000 residents, the community struggled to process the sudden loss of their local hero. At the Diogo Jota Academy—with the inspiring motto, “It’s not important where we come from, but where we are going”—people laid candles, flowers, and jerseys representing the clubs Jota played for, as well as the Portuguese national team.

Founded in 2022, the academy caters to children aged 6 to 9 at the Gondomar Football Club, where Jota began his journey as a young player. It was also at Gondomar’s high school that he met Rute; they started dating at 15, and she became a cornerstone in his life. “Besides being his girlfriend and best friend, I’m his number one fan,” she stated in a previous interview with the newspaper ‘A Bola.’

Recently, Jota was en route back to Liverpool by car after being advised to avoid flying for up to six weeks following surgery to treat a fractured rib, as per insights shared by his physiotherapist, Miguel Goncalves. Jota was reportedly recovering well from the surgery and intended to take a ferry from Spain to the UK.

In moments like these, we are reminded of the profound impact that one individual can have on countless lives—a reminder that resonates deeply through the world of sport.

Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring