Maria Pereira is overwhelmed with emotion as she recalls the lives of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. The 67-year-old, who resides beside the brothers' grandfather, has seen them grow from local lads to footballing sensations.
She was present at the Liverpool FC striker's wedding when he married Rute Cardoso, a day that was meant to be a highlight of their summer. Tragically, the narrative took a heart-wrenching turn, as both Jota and Silva were killed in a car crash last week.
The loss has sent shockwaves around the globe, with the grief acutely felt in the tight-knit community off Rua da Minhoteira where Jota and Silva spent their childhoods.
Cosme Oliveira, Pereira's nephew, acted as an interpreter when they spoke to the ECHO: "My aunt was very close to those two. She watched them grow from babies until now. She maintained contact with them all the time, especially with the family. This shocking news was strange, confusing and heartbreaking.
"His grandpa from his mother's side lives [next door] and we all have contact with him, almost everyday. They were the most humble and beautiful people that we ever have had here in this small town."
The sorrowful event has hit Cosme hard as he cherishes memories of kicking a ball around with the pair in their grandad's front garden during their youth. The 30-year-old reminisced: "We played from the garage door to the main gate.
Fans have paid tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva.
Fans have paid tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. (Image: Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
"We played small tournaments. I remember back in 2010. We had the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, we had this idea that we could make our own tournament. He was Portugal. I was Argentina, Andre was Brazil."
Cosme chuckled, admitting there was only ever going to be one victor. He added: "Of course, [Diogo] won. His mood was always you can do better, you can do better. I sucked at football. We were just playing for fun. He was never looking for fame or money. He just wanted to play football. He just wanted to play what he liked most."
It's this fervor and love for the sport that endeared number 20 to the hearts of Liverpool FC supporters, and Cosme expressed gratitude for the warm reception Jota received on Merseyside. He said: "You guys always received him well, so I think we all have to thank you for the way you welcomed our boy in your land."
Well-wishers leave flowers at a memorial set up close to Anfield football ground for their Portuguese forward Diogo Jota in Liverpool, north-west England July 3, 2025. Liverpool striker Diogo Jota died along with his brother early July 3, 2025 in a road accident in northwest Spain, the Spanish Civil Guard said. The accident occurred on a highway in the province of Zamora. The vehicle "left the road" before bursting into flames, the Civil Guard said, adding that the two passengers, Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Felipe, also a professional footballer, were deceased
Diogo Jota's death has led to countless tributes around the world once the news was confirmed (Image: Photo by PAUL BARKER/AFP via Getty Images)
Just like everyone else in Merseyside, Cosme is reeling from the shocking news and is holding onto those joyful memories from their childhood days spent playing in the garden. He said: "Almost every summer, they would come to my house or we'd go to theirs to play FIFA or cycle to town, or kick a ball around in the yard.
"His grandma was sad we destroyed the fences. That was the good memories that stayed. I think that's what we have to hold."
The narrow street where Jota and Silva grew up is a close-knit family community, and Cosme's cousin, Tiago Silva, also cherishes the happy memories of playing with the brothers as children.
He reminisced: "We played together, we laughed together. We played football on the streets and on the fields at the bottom of the road when I was a child.
A football pitch at the bottom of the R. da Minhoteira, near why Diogo Jota and Andre Silva grew up
A football pitch at the bottom of the R. da Minhoteira, near why Diogo Jota and Andre Silva grew up
"When he left for Liverpool, for Porto, for Atletico, we continued to see doors open up for him. He was a real guy. Not interested in fame, or nothing. He was a real good guy."
Cousin Beatriz Bessa, who also resides on the same row of houses, expressed that Jota and Silva's legacy is set to endure as they’ll always be a source of inspiration within their community. The 22-year-old shared: "When we grew up, Diogo became a really good player but he stayed humble. As all of his family. They were really kind."
She recounted cheerfully about her younger brother: "I have a little brother and when we saw Portugal wasn't playing so well, we always used to say at the TV, 'put Diogo on'. All the kids, my cousins, my brothers, they look at him as a hero."
Even with their rise to fame, the siblings have always maintained a strong connection to their origins on the modest lane off Rua da Minhoteira in Sao Cosme, making their mark on the local area. Their grandfather is often seen at the Clube de Caça e Pesca de Aguiar situated at the end of their street.
GONDOMAR, PORTUGAL - JULY 05: Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson, football players for Liverpool FC, carry floral tributes which read "20" and "30" as they arrive with teammates at a funeral held for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar on July 05, 2025 in Gondomar, Portugal. Diogo Jota was a professional football player for Liverpool FC and the Portuguese national team, while Andre Silva played for FC Penafiel in Portugal's second tier. The brothers died in a car accident in the province of Zamora, Spain, on July 3. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson carry floral tributes which read '20' and '30' as they arrive with team-mates at a funeral held for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar on July 05, 2025 in Gondomar, Portugal (Image: Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
While it may be known as a hunting club, it's more akin to the local pub, embodying a true sense of community spirit. Two of Jota's jerseys are proudly displayed on the wall in the club — tributes to his stints with Liverpool FC and Wolves.
Carlos Sousa and Vanessa Marques, proprietors of the local bar, proudly gesture towards the famed number 20 red shirt adorning their wall, a gift from the footballer himself. Translating for Carlos, Vanessa remarked: "They are a good family and he was a good child. He used to play football in here. He was a very special person. A very empathetic person."
It isn't just their footballing exploits or their successes on the pitch that resonate with the community where Jota and Silva came of age. Above all, it is their characters that locals cling to as they reminisce about the two lads from their neighborhood.
Cosme reflected: "When we seen them, they were always smiling, they were always happy, they were always happy with their simple life. They are the true meaning that you don't need expensive shoes or expensive equipment to become a footballer. You just have to have love for what you do."
He continued: "They both are the meaning of humble. The passion for football. They never lost their roots here. They never forgot this little town and what we represent. The good memories that we have with them here will always live."