With the sad news of Liverpool forward, Diogo Jota's, passing in the early hours of the morning, tributes have come flooding in from fans, players, and the rest of the sporting world.
Jota was involved in a car accident near Zamora in the Northwestern region of Spain in the early hours of Thursday morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene alongside his younger brother, Andre, who was also a footballer in his native Portugal.
In what is a huge shock to the footballing world, many have come together to offer their prayers and thoughts to the family of the 28-year-old, who, only 10 days ago, married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso.
LeBron James, himself a big Liverpool fan and minority owner of the club, sent out a tweet soon after the news came out, which read: "My prayers go out to his loved ones during this time! May you all be guided and protected! YNWA JOTA!! "
LeBron initially invested in Liverpool in 2011, and has endorsed his love for the club by frequently visiting Anfield, as well as often being spotted sporting Liverpool colours in public, including at LA Lakers games.
He was a pivotal part of Liverpool's recent success
Diogo Jota was part of Portugal's victorious National League squad that beat Spain less than a month ago, and was also a huge part of the Liverpool side that won their 20th Premier League title in May, as well as winning the FA Cup and League Cup the season before last. Liverpool's number 20 also represented Wolverhampton Wanderers, Porto, and Atletico Madrid after starting at Pacos de Ferreira.
Diogo Jota's trophies at Liverpool
Trophy
Premier League
FA Cup
EFL Cup
Jota was signed by former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, in 2020, and immediately became a fan-favourite because of his all-action style, and was often referred to by Klopp as the best finisher at the club. Although injuries sometimes disrupted his position in the side, the return of 65 goals in 182 games was vital throughout his time at Anfield, in a trophy-laden era for the club.
The club has issued a statement regarding the matter and asked for privacy for the family, friends, and teammates of Diogo Jota.
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