Manchester City's Bernardo Silva honoured his fellow Portuguese player Diogo Jota with touching words, declaring that the late footballer will forever hold a special place in his heart and will always remain present. Silva joined numerous footballers at Jota's funeral service on Saturday, which also commemorated Jota's brother Andre Silva following their tragic passing in a car accident on Thursday.
The fatal incident took place just after midnight in northern Spain, where it is believed a tyre burst led to the crash during an overtaking manoeuvre. Having forged a bond with Jota within Portugal's squad, Silva after the funeral endeavoured to encapsulate his memories of playing with the late Liverpool forward.
"I can't even imagine the pain of the family, of (wife) Rute, of the children, of the parents," Silva reflected. "For Andre and for Jota. I must say a little about Jota, who was a great friend of all of us.
"His career, although not the most important, speaks for itself. He didn't train at any of the big teams and took the most difficult paths. His passion, will and determination allowed him to succeed in life and have a brilliant career.
"But beyond his professional achievements... as a person...the memories that remain...Jota will always be in our hearts. He will always be present at every breakfast, lunch, dinner, national team get-together, PlayStation or card game."
A significant number of Liverpool representatives attended Saturday's service, including captain Virgil van Dijk, head coach Arne Slot and Fenway Sports Group's CEO of football, Michael Edwards, and sporting director Richard Hughes.