Liverpool forward Diogo Jota tragically passed away in a road traffic accident accident in Spain on Thurday morning
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota
Trent Alexander-Arnold has paid tribute to Diogo Jota(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold has said his "heart is broken" after the tragic passing of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
The 28-year-old was killed in a road traffic accident alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in the Zamora region of Spain in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 1am local time on Thursday morning, with the vehicle heading toward nearby Benavente.
Local reports have said the accident was the result of a blown-out tyre.
Since the tragic news of Jota's passing emerged, football figures from around the world - including Cristiano Ronaldo and Jurgen Klopp - have paid tribute to the father of three.
Now, Jota's former team-mate Alexander-Arnold, who played alongside the forward for five seasons before joining Real Madrid last month, has become the latest to pen an emotional tribute to the Liverpool forward.
"It’s so difficult to find the right words when your head and heart are struggling to accept that someone you care so much about has gone," wrote Alexander-Arnold on Instagram on Thursday night.
"Diogo, your family was your world. They were everything. For Rute, his children, and his parents, all of our hearts are broken. And for Andre as well. Brothers and best friends."When it’s less painful, I want to remember Diogo with a big smile.
"So many laughs and happy moments. He was such a great teammate and a true friend."Forever number 20. Rest in peace, Diogo."
Alexander-Arnold's former Liverpool team-mate Andy Robertson also paid tribute to Jota, writing on Instagram: "The ones I’m thinking about most right now are the family. Their loss is too much to bear. I’m so sorry that they have lost two such precious souls – Diogo and Andre.
"For the team and the Club, we’ll try to cope with this together… however long that takes. "For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy.
"I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. "It’s the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real.
"Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun. "He was the most British foreign player I’ve ever met. We used to joke he was really Irish… I’d try to claim him as Scottish, obviously. I even called him Diogo MacJota.
"We’d watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing. Going to Cheltenham this season was a highlight - one of the best we had. "The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family.
"I can’t believe we’re saying goodbye. It’s too soon, and it hurts so much. "But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better.
"Love you, Diogo."