Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe paid tribute to Liverpool star Diogo Jota after his goal in the Club World Cup
Kylian Mbappe.
Kylian Mbappe pays tribute to Diogo Jota during Real Madrid's clash against Borussia Dortmund at the Club World Cup
(Image: Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe paid the perfect tribute to Liverpool striker Diogo Jota following the tragic passing of the 28-year-old. The Portugal international was involved in a road traffic accident alongside his brother, Andre Silva, on Thursday (July 3).
As the Reds forward prepared to return to England for pre-season, when travelling in Zamora, Spain, the tyre blew out on Jota's car, resulting in a crash when attempting to overtake on the A52, known as the Palacios de Sanabria, according to local reports. On Saturday (July 5), Jota and his younger sibling were laid to rest at a funeral service at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar (the Mother Church of Gondomar).
There was a large Liverpool contingent of players past and present, as well as staff members, in the hometown of Jota and his 25-year-old brother, for the siblings' funeral on Saturday (July 5).
Real Madrid booked their place in the Club World Cup semi-final after a dramatic 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund.
Xabi Alonso's side raced into a two-goal first-half lead after goals from Fran Garcia and Gonzalo Garcia. However, Maximillian Beier reduced the deficit in second-half stoppage time.
Mbappe came off the bench to score a fantastic acrobatic goal and as he wheeled away, he raced to the pitchside camera to display '20' in honour of Jota.
He joins his international teammate, Ousmane Dembele, who paid homage to the Liverpool striker with his iconic gaming celebration.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward rubberstamped the Champions League holders' place in the final four, where they will play Los Blancos, in their 2-0 win over Bayern Munich.
The gesture from Dembele brought a reaction from Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, who attended the funeral service in the town just outside Porto.
He posted a screenshot of the celebration to his Instagram story, with the caption tagging his international teammate as well as three red hearts and two doves, adding: "mon free (my brother)."
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was also present for the wake on Friday (July 4) and the service on Saturday.
The Dutchman penned an emotional statement following the tragedy involving one of the stars from his Premier League-winning side.
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.
“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.
“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, 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.
“There were also the parts that not everyone got to see. The person who never sought popularity but found it anyway. Not a friend to two people, a friend to everyone. Someone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family.
“The last time we spoke, I congratulated Diogo on winning the Nations League and wished him luck for his forthcoming wedding. In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this.
“When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song. For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten. His name is Diogo.”