Diogo Jota sadly passed away on Thursday, and the football world has shown its tributes to Liverpool’s No. 20.
Jota was involved in a tragic car accident in Spain, and Spanish authorities are still investigating the incident. His brother, Andre Silva, also lost his life in the crash.
The Portuguese forward had just gotten married last month after winning the Nations League with Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo also paid tribute, saying: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married.”
CR7 further added: “To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.”
Jota joined Liverpool in 2020 from the English side Wolves. He scored 65 goals for the Reds across 182 matches. He played a key role in Liverpool’s major trophy wins, most notably contributing to last season’s Premier League title triumph.
Liverpool also paid tribute to him by lowering their flags to half-mast and making some heartfelt decisions to honour his memory.
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Liverpool decided to honour Diogo Jota
The club has confirmed that his No. 20 shirt number will be immortalised.
In a statement, Liverpool said: “And what cruelly has proved to be his final flourish in football saw Jota become a Premier League champion and a UEFA Nations League winner.
The No.20 will be rightly immortalised for his contributions as part of Liverpool’s 2024-25 title-winners – the club’s 20th – with his trademark shimmy and strike in front of the Kop to seal victory in April’s Merseyside derby a poignant last goal of his life.”
In his own words before the tragedy, Jota had said: “To arrive at this particular season with the title that I’ve been chasing for a lot of years and in the best league in the world – for me, where I dreamed to play as a kid – it’s a moment I will cherish forever.”
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