Liverpool Football Club has announced plans to permanently retire the number 20 shirt worn by Diogo Jota, following the Portuguese forward’s untimely death in a car accident on Thursday.
Jota, 28, and his younger brother, Andre Silva, were killed in a crash in the early hours of Thursday morning in the municipality of Cernadilla, located in Spain’s northwestern Zamora province. According to the Civil Guard, the vehicle veered off the motorway and caught fire after what is believed to have been a tyre blowout during an overtaking manoeuvre. Both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.
“The car was completely burned, and they died inside,” confirmed Angel Blanco, the central government’s representative in Zamora.
In a heartfelt tribute, Liverpool said the number 20 shirt would be “rightly immortalised” in honour of Jota’s vital contributions to the club, particularly during its historic 2024–25 season that ended with their 20th Premier League title.
A statement from the club read:
“What cruelly proved to be his final flourish in football saw Jota become a Premier League champion and a UEFA Nations League winner. The No. 20 will be rightly immortalised for his contributions as part of Liverpool’s 2024–25 title-winning team , the club’s 20th — with his trademark shimmy and strike in front of the Kop to seal victory in April’s Merseyside derby a poignant final goal of his life.”
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and quickly became a fan favourite for his technical ability and sharp eye for goal. He made 182 appearances for the Reds, scoring 65 goals and playing a crucial role in several key campaigns.
As tributes pour in from across the football world, Liverpool’s gesture ensures that Jota’s legacy at Anfield will endure, not only as a champion but as a beloved figure forever remembered in the club’s storied history.
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