Liverpool supporters are never, ever going to forget Diogo Jota. Not a chance.
Jota’s tragic passing in a car accident on Thursday morning may have taken him away, but his achievements in life and on the football pitch will ensure his memory lives on.
The little Portuguese forward was everything you could want in a footballer: dedicated, professional, humble, relentless and, as a striker, absolutely clinical.
But it was Jota‘s status as an exceptional man which set him apart from his peers. The 28-year-old was loved by his Liverpool teammates and his absence will leave an enormous hole.
For now, it is difficult to see how the Liverpool squad and the club as a whole can carry on towards some semblance of normality. But, in time, they will.
Once that happens, there are numerous ways in which Liverpool can permanently honour Jota, to make sure he has the permanent presence he deserves at the club.
Diogo Jota celebrates after scoring for Liverpool in the Carabao Cup match against West Ham United at Anfield.
Photo by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
Retire the No. 20
There is an extra poignancy to Jota’s story given that he was the man who wore the No. 20 shirt on the way to the 20th league title in Liverpool history.
Fans have called for Liverpool to retire Jota’s shirt number, so the Portugal international can forever remain attached to the now iconic number.
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There is a precedent in English football for this happening. Manchester City retired Marc-Vivien Foe’s No. 23 shirt when the midfielder tragically died following a cardiac arrest in a friendly match for Cameroon in 2003.
Doing the same for Jota at Liverpool would mean his spirit remains on the squad list at Anfield for the rest of time.
Build a statue
Liverpool are a club who do not forget their past. They also remember those who are no longer with us extremely well.
In football, one of the highest honours a club can hand an individual is to build them a statue.
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At Liverpool, legendary managers Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley have both had this honour bestowed on them, with sculptures outside Anfield.
Jota may not hold the same status as either of those two men, but for everything he has given the club, and the fact he truly never left, a statue would be a wonderful way of immortalising him.
Name something after him
Diogo Jota of Liverpool lifts the Premier League trophy on the final day of the 2024/25 season.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Another good way of keeping Jota’s memory alive in a physical way would be by naming something after him.
Liverpool have a stand at Anfield named after Sir Kenny Dalglish, for example, and a similar move to honour Jota would be another fitting tribute.
But the stadium is not the only option, perhaps the Liverpool training ground, or something within its vicinity could bear the No. 20’s name.
Arrange an annual friendly
While other suggestions would mean something physical is attached to Jota’s memory, playing an annual friendly in his honour would keep his spirit alive in a different way.
It is important to remember that it was not only Diogo who was killed during the tragedy on Thursday morning. His brother Andre Silva also died.
Like his older sibling, Andre was a footballer too, playing for Portuguese second division side Penafiel.
If feasible, an annual friendly between Liverpool and Penafiel, with proceeds perhaps going towards the Jota family, would be a tremendous way to salute the two brothers, while showing those close to him that he remains forever in the thoughts of everyone connected to the club.