As mourners gathered in Gondomar, Portugal, for the funeral of football legend Diogo Jota, his distraught widow helped carry his casket.
As was mentioned before, the Liverpool FC star and his younger brother, André Silva, who was also a professional football player, d!ed on Thursday, July 3, at about 12:35 a.m.
The boys were in a terrible vehicle acc!dent on the A-52 highway in Zamora, Spain. Their Lamborghini went off the road, turned over, and caught fire, which spread to the plants around it.
The crash happened as they were on their way to Santander to take a ship to the UK. Jota had just had surgery on his lungs and had been told not to fly.
The terrible event has shocked the football world and their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal.
Two weeks after marrying Jota, the 28-year-old’s wife helped carry his casket into the church for his funeral. Family members were there to help her, and it was a really sad picture.
The couple had three young children and had just gotten married a few days before the tragedy. They had been childhood sweethearts who met as youngsters in Porto.
Joaquim and Isabel, Jota’s parents, comforted each other through tears as they walked into the Gondomar church for the funeral service, which began at 10 AM local time and was led by the Bishop of Porto.
With national team scarves and roses, thousands of fans lined the streets. Outside, a simulcast of the ceremony was played for those unable to enter the crowded chapel.
A pallbearer was Jota’s teammate on the Portugal national team, Ruben Neves. Alisson, the Liverpool goalkeeper who was on international duty with Brazil, voiced his grief on Instagram from afar: I usually post things that make sense, but today, nothing makes sense!
Once again, there’s an ocean between me and saying goodbye to someone I love. But I know that my club friends are doing a good job of representing me! To you, dear friend @rutecfcardoso14, know that you will never be alone. As soon as we can, we’ll be there!
The only thing we can do in such a dire situation is to submit to God’s sovereignty and seek his help and grace. “I’ll always remember Diogo as a great friend, father, and husband,” he continued.
Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa, Caoimhin Kelleher, and manager Arne Slot were among the Liverpool players who went to Gondomar to pay their respects.
James Milner and Jordan Henderson, who played with Jota at Liverpool and were his captains when he joined the squad in 2020, also went. Henderson was seen crying as he laid flowers and a scarf outside Anfield before traveling to Portugal.
Jota’s agent, Jorge Mendes, told reporters that the loss was “very difficult” and that they had lost two amazing people. As a person, husband, son, and professional, Diogo is a good example. The Mirror says it’s really hard for me to believe it.
The Telegraph said that Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, and President Marcelo de Sousa were among those who paid their condolences. Gondomar Town Hall also designated July 4 an official day of mourning, calling Jota an amazing talent and a true ambassador for Gondomar.
Speaking on behalf of the community, local priest Jose Manuel Macedo stated, “We’re here to celebrate [their life] with everyone and share the pain and the Christian hope.”
Liverpool Football Club claimed they were “devastated” by the tragedy, and fans brought flowers and scarves to Anfield in Jota’s remembrance.
In 2020, Jota moved from Wolves to Liverpool, where she helped the team win the League Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League. He scored six goals in 26 games during the 2024/25 season and helped Portugal win the Nations League title two weeks before he d!ed.
We are still thinking of Jota and Silva’s loved ones at this time.