Liverpool star Diogo Jota tragically died at the age of 28 last week along with his brother Andre after a horrific car crash in Portugal while travelling back for the start of pre-season training
Arne Slot
Arne Slot gave an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota after Liverpool retired his shirt number
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has given a moving tribute to Diogo Jota as he insisted the club will "always carry him with us" after deciding to retire his No 20 shirt following his tragic death aged 28.
The forward died in a car crash along with his brother Andre in Portugal last week, leading to an outpouring of grief across the football .
were left "devastated" by his passing and said the decision to retire his shirt number was "recognition of the profound personal impact he had on his teammates, colleagues and supporters and the everlasting connections he built with them".
Slot said: "We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go. Maybe especially in difficult moments.
"But in any moment we are here, we will carry him with us in our thoughts and in our hearts. To retire his shirt is the one thing we could, should and have done."
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The Dutchman went on to speak about the challenge of getting back to football amid the team's collective grief ahead of their friendly clash against Preston on Sunday.
"Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened," he added. "It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. Can we train again? Can we laugh again? And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was.
"And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well."
Arne Slot and Diogo Jota
Slot has told Liverpool players to "be themselves" as they attempt to cope with Jota's loss
(
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Slot and much of the Liverpool first team were in attendance at Jota's funeral in Gondomar, Portugal, this week as captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were seen carrying wreaths shaped like football shirts, with his No 20 visible in the middle.
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