Diogo Jota’s family, along with Liverpool teammates, gathered in Portugal to honor the footballer and his brother, André Silva, following their tragic passing in a car accident in Spain.
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Just 11 days after marrying his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, Jota, alongside his brother, died when their Lamborghini crashed, reportedly due to a suspected tire blowout in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The somber procession saw the coffins of Jota and Silva entered at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar, accompanied by a significant gathering of mourners.
Watch: Mourners arrive at church for funeral mass
Hundreds from Gondomar, the small northern town where Jota grew up, came out to pay their respects. As the coffins were transported into the church, the church bell tolled, and applause erupted from the crowd, reflecting a shared sense of loss.
The funeral took place in Gondomar, the brothers’ hometown.
Among the numerous attendees were Liverpool manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil Van Dijk, and teammates Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez, and Joe Gomez. Notably, Jota’s national team colleagues Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Ruben Dias, and Bernardo Silva (both from Manchester City), alongside stars like Joao Felix and Renato Veiga (Chelsea), also attended.
Ruben Neves from Wolves served as one of the pallbearers, having just flown in from Florida, where he participated in the Club World Cup quarter-final the night prior. Some players even arrived carrying floral wreaths shaped like football shirts.
Portugal’s manager Roberto Martinez poignantly remarked, “These are really, really sad days, as you can imagine, but today we showed we are a large, close family. Their spirit will be with us forever.”
The private service, overseen by Bishop of Porto, Manuel Linda, resonated with an emotional homily, where he stated, “Solidarity in love is always stronger than death.”
As the funeral proceedings concluded, the coffins were taken to the cemetery adjacent to the church. The previous day, family and friends had gathered for the brothers’ wake, forming a line outside the Portuguese chapel. Among the attendees were Jota’s parents and notable figures such as Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.
Attendees held service sheets that featured images of both brothers, the largest displaying Jota smiling in his Liverpool FC shirt, forming a heart symbol with his hands—an image of hope amid sorrow.
In light of the tragic events, Liverpool FC has postponed the return of their players for pre-season. Tributes from current and former players flooded social media, showcasing a united front of grief. A poignant display of floral tributes formed outside Anfield, as fans from various clubs gathered to express their condolences.
Flags at Anfield have been lowered to half-mast, and club stores, museums, and tours were closed until Monday, with staff provided support to cope with this difficult time.
The brothers lost their lives following the car accident on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria, near the city of Zamora, at 12:40 am on Thursday. Authorities are investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini veered off the road due to a tire blowout while overtaking; no other vehicles were involved in the incident.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
