The parents of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, have arrived at the wake ahead of the funeral for the pair, which is to be held in Portugal after they were tragically killed in a car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Tributes have poured in from around the world after Jota, 28, was confirmed, alongside his younger sibling, as having passed away in northern Spain earlier this week. Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson broke down in tears earlier today as he paid tribute to his ex-teammate at Anfield, while Jose Mourinho has also paid his respects.
Yesterday, Darwin Nunez, Jurgen Klopp and Cristiano Ronaldo were among those to send messages to Jota and Silva, with Arne Slot penning a heartfelt statement in difficult circumstances. Flags were flown at half-mast at Anfield, with the club opening up books of condolence for Jota and his brother.
Liverpool fans arrived throughout Thursday to pay their respects, laying flowers, shirts and scarves on the floor. There were also written tributes to the Reds' number 20, who was signed from Wolves in September 2020 and went on to score 65 goals.
Across Friday and Saturday, Jota and Silva will be laid to rest with a wake followed by a funeral in Portugal. The president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proenca, has been spotted in attendance, as well as the country's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Jota's parents, Joaquim and Isabel, were also pictured, in addition to the player's agent, Jorge Mendes.
The bodies of Jota and Silva were returned to Portugal on Thursday. A wake is scheduled in Gondomar, a district in the city of Porto, today (July 4) ahead of a funeral service on Saturday (July 5).
Tributes to Diogo Jota outside Anfield stadium today
Tributes to Diogo Jota outside Anfield stadium today (Image: Iain Watts/Liverpool Echo)
"What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not," Liverpool head coach Slot said in a statement.
"All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about.
"My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.
"My message to them is very clear: you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football.
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"This is not solely a response to tragedy. It is also a reaction to the goodness of the people involved and the respect that so many have for the boys as individuals and for the family as a whole.
"For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, and a workmate, and in all of those roles, he was very special.
"I could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it. Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool player should be."