Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, were buried on Saturday, July 5, 2025, in their hometown of Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal. The two brothers tragically lost their lives in a car crash in northwestern Spain just two days earlier, a heartbreaking incident that occurred barely a week after Jota’s wedding to longtime partner Rute Cardoso.
The sombre funeral ceremony, held at the Mother Church of Gondomar, drew hundreds of mourners including family, friends, teammates, and dignitaries. Jota’s wife, Rute, visibly emotional, was seen following his coffin as it was carried out of the church. The couple had three children and had recently celebrated their wedding on June 22, a moment Jota shared publicly just hours before the accident.
Among those who attended were Portuguese football stars Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Danilo Pereira, and João Félix, along with national team coach Roberto Martínez. Though Cristiano Ronaldo did not attend, several members of the Portugal squad were present to pay their respects.
Liverpool representatives, including captain Virgil van Dijk, Darwin Núñez, and manager Arne Slot, also attended. Van Dijk bore a wreath shaped like a Liverpool jersey bearing Jota’s number 20. On Friday evening, the Liverpool delegation joined the family at a wake held in Gondomar.
Dignitaries including Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, and Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes were also present. Former Porto manager and current club president André Villas-Boas attended the service, reflecting on Jota’s early football years spent with the club.
Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, described Jota as “an icon of Portuguese football,” adding, “Football is truly in mourning.”
Outside the church and across Portugal, fans gathered to pay tribute. A spontaneous memorial grew at the Diogo Jota Football Academy near Gondomar SC, where he began his career. Flowers, scarves, candles, and handwritten notes from children adorned the space. “Thank you, Diogo Jota,” read one touching message.
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who brought Jota to Anfield in 2020, said he was “heartbroken.” Slot, Klopp’s successor, urged the Liverpool community to unite in their grief: “We owe it to Diogo to stand together and support one another.”
Liverpool lowered flags at Anfield to half-mast and opened a condolence book. Supporters laid tributes outside the stadium, scarves, shirts, flowers, and balloons with messages like “Rest in peace, Diogo Jota.”
Tributes also came from the music world. On Friday night, British rock band Oasis dedicated their hit song Live Forever to Jota during a concert in Cardiff marking their return to touring after 16 years.
The football world continued to honour Jota throughout the weekend. A minute’s silence was observed at the Club World Cup in the United States before Fluminense faced Al Hilal in Orlando, and again at matches in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament.
Reports revealed that Jota, who had recently undergone a lung operation, was advised to avoid flying and was driving to Santander to board a ferry to England ahead of Liverpool’s pre-season training.
In a heartfelt tribute, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah admitted he felt “frightened” to return to the club after Jota’s sudden death, reflecting the profound impact the tragedy has had on teammates.
Jota was 28, André Silva was 25. Their deaths have left a deep void in both the football community and among those who knew them personally.
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