Family, friends, and football stars gathered in Gondomar, near Porto, on Saturday to bid farewell to Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother, Andre Silva, 25, following their tragic deaths in a car crash in northwestern Spain on Thursday.
The funeral service, held at 0900 GMT and officiated by the Bishop of Porto, followed a well-attended wake on Friday. Mourners included Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, football agent Jorge Mendes, and FC Porto president André Villas-Boas.
The crash, which occurred just a week after Jota’s wedding to longtime partner Rute Cardoso, claimed the lives of both brothers when their vehicle veered off a motorway and caught fire. Local media reported they were en route to Santander to catch a ferry to England, as Jota had been advised against flying due to a recent lung operation.
The tragedy has sparked an outpouring of grief across Portugal and the global football community. The Portuguese Football Federation described Jota as “an icon of talent,” while Liverpool lowered flags at Anfield, opened a condolence book, and hosted a memorial outside the stadium.
Liverpool teammates and former managers expressed shock and sorrow. Jurgen Klopp said he was “heartbroken,” and new manager Arne Slot urged unity among players. Mohamed Salah, visibly shaken, said he was “frightened” to return to Liverpool without Jota.
A moment of silence was observed at the Club World Cup quarter-final in the United States on Friday in Jota’s honour.
At the Diogo Jota Football Academy, mourners created a growing memorial with candles, shirts, and scarves. One childhood friend, Pedro Neves, remembered him as “friendly and always smiling.” Jota is survived by his wife and their three children.
