Sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group CEO of Football Michael Edwards were among the Liverpool representatives who paid their respects to Diogo Jota at his wake in Portugal on Friday.
Former Reds players Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho, along with Manchester United's Diogo Dalot and Manchester City's Bernardo Silva — both international colleagues of Jota — also attended the service at Capela da Ressurreicao in Gondomar, the late striker's hometown.
The soccer community has been in a state of mourning following the tragic passing of Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, on Thursday. The siblings lost their lives in a car accident near Zamora, close to the northwestern border between Spain and Portugal.
The heartbreaking incident took place just days after Jota tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso.
On Friday morning, mourners gathered for a wake in Portugal, preceding the brothers' funeral at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme at 10am on Saturday. Initially a private event for family members, it was later opened to the public, with hundreds lining up around the 17th-century church.
Andre Villas-Boas, the president of Porto and former manager of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, attended the church service to pay his respects on behalf of the club. He stated: "They left behind a lot of history. Diogo has a history in the senior team and Andre has many years from the children's team to the under-19s.
"Diogo, especially as a major public figure, was a silent hero. We all appreciated everything he represented, not only on the field, but also off it. He was a partner of FC Porto with its Esports team. Someone who will be well remembered, just like his brother. Let us hope that the memory of these two athletes, two great men, will live on in time."
Julian Ward, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards arrive at the funeral chapel for the wake of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva
Julian Ward, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards arrive at the funeral chapel for the wake of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva (Image: (MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images))
Notable attendees at the chapel included Nottingham Forest's Jota Silva, who hails from Gondomar, and his former Wolves and Portugal teammate Joao Moutinho. The president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proenca, and renowned agent Jorge Mendes, who was visibly emotional outside the venue, also paid their respects.
A delegation from Paços de Ferreira, Jota's first club, laid a yellow wreath. The country's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and prime minister, Luis Montenegro, both attended the service in person. Members of the Portuguese parliament also paid tribute to the two brothers.
Mohamed Salah, one of the last Liverpool players to express his sorrow publicly, confessed that the prospect of returning to the club in the wake of Jota's sudden passing filled him with dread. While some Reds were set to start pre-season testing next week, the initial phase of their return has been deferred as the whole club struggles to grasp the magnitude of the loss.
"I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break," Salah disclosed on social media. "Team-mates come and go but not like this. It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back.
Tributes have been laid at Anfield for Diogo Jota and Andre Silva.
Tributes have been laid at Anfield for Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
"My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children. Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten."
In addition to the Liverpool squad, Diogo Jota's wedding caterer has offered heartfelt condolences and reflected on witnessing the footballer in his most joyous moments.
Rui Paula, a chef distinguished by two Michelin stars, shared: "The last time I saw him was at the wedding. On the last day, he had a meal with Rute (his wife) and the children, and then got in the car to go to Liverpool. His wife was supposed to follow today, Friday, with the children.
"The wedding was all organized, very beautiful. I did the catering, there was a band playing, he was happy. The wedding was at the Igreja da Lapa, in Porto, and the catering was in Marco de Canaveses.
"He arrived and asked me to prepare him something to eat because he was hungry, as the wedding had been delayed. But when I went to Liverpool for the menu tasting, for the wedding, he was also happy.
"At the wedding, he was super happy. At a wedding,g there's always some worry and anxiety, but he was very happy, completely happy. They met very young, had three children, lived in Liverpool, and that's where I got to know them better.
Aerial photograph of people queuing outside the funeral chapel for the wake of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto.
Aerial photograph of people queuing outside the funeral chapel for the wake of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto. (Image: CARLOS COSTA/AFP via Getty Images)
"What I feel is that they are all humble people; fame hasn't gone to their heads, they're impeccable people, and Diogo was a simple, professional, dedicated, gentle, kind young man — everything you could wish for in a good person. This is a huge tragedy, because just think, his parents have lost two children, and his wife is left with three little ones. They had only been married for 15 days on Sunday.
"All of Portugal is shaken — I can't remember seeing people so affected, so sad. His character was that of a good person, even if you didn't know him, you could look at him and see he was a good person. Low profile, grounded, didn't flaunt his wealth, he was an impeccable young man. May God rest his soul.
"On the pitch, he was a professional, but off the pitch, he was even better.
"I just want to say, these moments are so painful, so intense... this is a tragedy, isn't it? And so, what I wish for the family is a lot of strength. If there's any purpose to this happening? I don't know if there is.
"Hold on to faith as well, because it's very hard for a parent to lose two children and for Rute to be left with three children on her own. "They have to be strong people, try to carry this in as light a way as possible. Because the pain of this tragedy will be immense.
"I wish them a lot of strength, a lot of love, and that they stay united to steer this ship to a safe harbour, because it will be a heavy ship. And I want to say that Diogo Jota was an absolutely wonderful person."