Diogo Jota's death has come as a shocking surprise to the sporting world who've recognised not only the superb talent he possessed but the kind human being he was
Liverpool players Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz celebrate a goal against Ipswich
Diogo Jota spent five years playing for Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
Diogo Jota's kindness was on full display after coming to a financial agreement with Liverpool team-mate Luis Diaz. The 28-year-old tragically died in the early hours of Thursday morning following a fatal car accident in northwest Spain.
His younger brother, Andre Silva, who was also a professional footballer, died alongside the Portugal international near the town of Zamora. The brothers were travelling in a Lamborghini which spun off the road and burst into flames after a tyre burst whilst overtaking another vehicle.
Tributes to the pair have since flooded in from the sports world with several of Jota's Liverpool team-mates including Stefan Bajcetic and Darwin Nunez posting messages on social media. Former team-mate Naby Keita as well as Jota's ex-boss Jurgen Klopp also took to social media to pay tribute.
While much has been made of the incredible football talent Jota possessed, he was also known to be a classy individual which Diaz was certainly aware of upon his move to Anfield in January.
The Colombian winger signed for the Reds in the winter transfer window in 2022 from Porto, the club where Jota spent a season on loan in the 2016/17 season while also being born and raised in the area.
Diogo Jota holds up a Luis Diaz Liverpool shirt after scoring against Nottingham Forest
The 28-year-old passed away in a car crash alongside his younger brother, Andre Silva
Prior to becoming colleagues, Jota and Diaz were in fact landlord and tenant given the latter had been renting the Portugal star's house whilst at Porto. "He rented the house I’d lived in when I played for Porto," Jota told FourFourTwo.
Jota's admission on what he chose to do with their contract given Diaz's move to England just exemplifies how classy and kind Jota was as a person. "He was paying me rent, then he ended up playing with me, and I often still bring that up during our conversations.
"He arrived in January and had a contract with me until July, but because he was going to be my team-mate, I let him out of the contract!" Diaz's mid-season arrival reignited Liverpool's chase for an unprecedented quadruple but ended the season with two trophies after finishing second in the league to Manchester City and losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
Diogo Jota lifting the Premier League title with Liverpool
Jota won the Premier League title for the first time in his career just months before his death
"When Luis arrived in England, he was really important for us with the energy he brought to the team in the latter stages of that season, when we nearly won everything," Jota continued.
"Two trophies wasn’t bad, but it could have been a story forever. I really think that if we had won the Premier League, we would have won the Champions League. We could have written football history, especially in English football."
Following the confirmation of his death, Liverpool published a statement which read: "Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre.
"Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre's family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support."
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