Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car accident in Spain in July 2025
Diogo Jota and Rute Cardoso
Diogo Jota and his partner Rute Cardoso with their three children
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Eight months have passed since the shocking death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. Jota, 28, and Andre, 25, were killed in the early hours of July 3, 2025 after their car veered off the road as they were making their way from Spain back to Liverpool.
The Portuguese international is survived by his wife, Rute Cardoso, with whom he had married 11 days prior to the crash, and their three children. The tragedy rocked the football community and beyond, with tributes pouring in from around the world.
Liverpool's own tribute to their No. 20 was to retire his shirt while hosting a sea of flowers that were laid by fans outside Anfield. Last September, head coach Arne Slot also confirmed Fenway Sports Group would pay the rest of the forward’s contract in full to Rute and their children.
It's estimated that the Reds will pay out around £14.4 million. The forward had agreed a contract extension with Liverpool in 2022 for £140,000 per week, with two years left on the deal at the time of his death.
The stunning gesture only confirms how highly regarded Jota was by Liverpool. The 28-year-old's performances after signing from Wolves in 2020 helped Liverpool win the FA Cup, League Cup and the Premier League.
Speaking in September, Slot said: “The way the fans conducted themselves after that tragedy, how many flowers there were, all the memorials, I can almost get emotional thinking about it. It’s unbelievable what our fans have done and our players as well, the way they have conducted themselves in and around the funeral.
“And then we have to train again. There are moments where I feel: ‘What must his wife and his children feel now?’ It sounds so hard but our life continues.
Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot (L) talks to Liverpool's Portuguese striker #20 Diogo Jota during the pre-season friendly football match between Liverpool and Sevilla at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, northwest England on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Peter POWELL / AFP) (Photo by PETER POWELL/AFP via Getty Images)
Arne Slot still gets emotional thinking about Diogo Jota and his family(Image: Peter Powell, AFP via Getty Images)
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"People expect from me that I prepare them for ever and that sometimes feels a bit difficult knowing how hard it is for the family and for the parents in the phase they are still going through and will go through for the rest of their lives.
“Owners are mainly criticised, like managers, but the way they’ve handled this situation by paying his wife and his children all the money from the contract is … Maybe people think it’s normal, but it is not in football.”
Liverpool and Wolves will meet in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday night.
The FA Cup fixture is the second time this week that Liverpool and Wolves have met. Slot's side lost 2-1 to Rob Edwards's team in the Premier League on Tuesday night.
A mural in tribute to former Liverpool player Diogo Jota is seen outside the stadium prior to during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid
Tributes surrounding Diogo Jota's passing included a mural for the Liverpool star near Anfield
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Both sets of fans used the 18th minute of the fixture to sing about Jota in unison, with the game representing the first tie between the sides at Molineux since the brothers' passing.
The Liverpool supporters in the away end displayed a banner of their own, which read: 'Obrigado Diogo, forever our number 20'.
Jota spent three seasons at Molineux between 2017 and 2020, helping them earn promotion to the Premier League. He went on to make 182 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals.
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