Rute Cardoso
Rute Cardoso visited the tribute at Anfield (Image: getty)
The football world is in mourning as Rute Cardoso, the widow of the late Portuguese star Diogo Jota, visited a sea of floral tributes at Anfield on Friday. The heartfelt memorial has grown significantly since Jota, aged 28, and his brother Andre Silva tragically died in a car crash in Spain last week.
In a touching gesture, Liverpool players, alongside head coach Arne Slot, paid their respects by each laying a single rose amid the tributes.
Liverpool's key players, including Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo, joined manager Arne Slot in laying tributes outside Anfield, where fans have been gathering to honour the memory of the beloved player.
In a historic move for the club, it was announced on Friday that Jota's number 20 shirt will be retired by the Premier League champions, marking the first time such an honour has been granted in Liverpool's history.
Michael Edwards, FSG CEO of Football, released a statement saying: "As a club, we were all acutely aware of the sentiment of our supporters – and we felt exactly the same way," confirming the decision to retire Jota's shirt number was made with the full involvement of his wife Rute and his family.
Edwards added: "I believe this is the first time in Liverpool Football Club's history that such an honour has been bestowed upon an individual. Therefore, we can say this is a unique tribute to a uniquely wonderful person."
The club announced: "By retiring this squad number, we are making it eternal – and therefore never to be forgotten. Diogo joined us in 2020, he won us number 20, and he wore – with honour, distinction and affection – the number 20. As far as Liverpool Football Club is concerned, he will be forever our number 20."
Liverpool players view tributes to Diogo Jota at Anfield
Liverpool players view tributes to Diogo Jota at Anfield (Image: gettyy)
Jota, aged 28, and his brother, Andre Silva, were killed in a car accident as Jota was returning to Merseyside for pre-season training.
The retirement of the shirt number will extend across all levels of the club, including the men's senior team, women's team, U21s, and academy teams, following discussions with Jota's wife, Rute, and their family.
The family and the club believe that this heartfelt tribute is an appropriate way to commemorate not only Jota's contributions on the pitch but also the profound effect he had on his colleagues, the staff, and fans alike.
Despite the sombre mood, Liverpool's fixture against Preston North End will go ahead as scheduled on Sunday, with coverage on ITV 1, as confirmed by Liverpool on Friday. This match will mark the first since Jota's untimely death.
In remembrance, the Reds have detailed plans for the upcoming game: "Ahead of the 3pm BST kick-off, there will be a rendition of LFC anthem You'll Never Walk Alone and the home club will lay a wreath alongside the away supporters."
A minute's silence will be held in honour of Diogo and Andre, with digital tributes to be displayed on screens and pitchside LEDs at the match. Players from both teams will don black armbands as a mark of respect, and Preston has produced a special edition of their matchday programme featuring written tributes to the brothers.
The Liverpool ace and his younger sibling were returning from Portugal after Jota tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart. The Anfield star was unable to travel by air due to a minor lung surgery.
Diogo Jota of Liverpool after being named Champions of the Premier League
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Following the heartbreaking event, the brothers were laid to rest in Gondomar, Portugal, on Saturday morning. A wave of tributes has been placed at Anfield and Molineux, reflecting on Jota's time at Wolverhampton Wanderers from 2017 to 2020.
Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan, along with the club's executive team, visited the memorial site to pay their respects to Jota, hailed as an "incredible footballer and really good person".
In a heartfelt interview with LFC TV, Hogan expressed: "First, I would just say that obviously we're here today – and so many people have been here before – to just offer condolences and thoughts and prayers for Diogo and for Andre, and most importantly for their family."
He continued, "It has only been a couple of days but, as we all know, it has been just absolutely devastating. We're a club in mourning. We have all been completely shocked by the situation and, again, can only think of what this has meant to their family."
The football world is in mourning as tributes pour in for the late Jota, with an emotional scene unfolding where fans have left heartfelt messages and tributes. The anthem 'You'll Never Walk Alone' has taken on a poignant significance, as one insider reflected: "What we see behind us and the overwhelming outpouring of support and emotion and grief and love – having a chance to walk down the row here and read the cards and read the messages, our anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone, it does mean something."
"In this case, I think everybody just feels so passionately about making sure that we remember the two boys but also that we support their family, and we're going to work through this together."
Andy Robertson, a former teammate of Jota, shared his own personal grief on social media, saying: "The ones I'm thinking about most right now are the family. Their loss is too much to bear. I'm so sorry that they have lost two such precious souls – Diogo and Andre.
"For the team and the Club, we'll try to cope with this together... however long that takes. For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy.
"I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It's the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real.
"Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun. He was the most British foreign player I've ever met. We used to joke he was really Irish... I'd try to claim him as Scottish, obviously. I even called him Diogo MacJota.
"We'd watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing. Going to Cheltenham this season was a highlight - one of the best we had.
"The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family.
"I can't believe we're saying goodbye. It's too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better. Love you, Diogo."