Diogo Jota Family Gathers Before Emotional Farewell/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Liverpool’s Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva died in a car crash in Spain. Family and friends gathered at a chapel in Portugal ahead of the wake and funeral. Tributes poured in from fans and football communities worldwide.
Diogo Jota Funeral Quick Looks
- Diogo Jota, 28, and brother André Silva, 25, died in a crash near Zamora, Spain.
- Lamborghini crashed and caught fire on a remote highway stretch.
- Bodies repatriated to Gondomar, Portugal, where Jota’s career began.
- Jota married Rute Cardoso just two weeks before the accident.
- Liverpool fans and Portuguese officials expressed profound grief.
- Gondomar SC praised Jota’s loyalty to childhood friends and roots.
Deep Look
Family and Fans Mourn Liverpool’s Diogo Jota After Fatal Car Crash in Spain
GONDOMAR, Portugal (AP) — The tight-knit community of Gondomar is in mourning as the family and friends of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota gathered Friday at the Capela da Ressurreição São Cosme. The somber gathering comes ahead of Saturday’s funeral service for Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, following their tragic deaths in a car crash in Spain.
Emotions ran high outside the chapel, where mourners hugged, cried, and offered condolences before entering the sacred space. The sudden loss has stunned both Portugal and the global football community.
Jota, aged 28, and his 25-year-old brother André Silva lost their lives when the Lamborghini they were driving veered off an isolated stretch of highway near Zamora in northwestern Spain shortly after midnight on Thursday. The car erupted in flames, leaving no chance of survival. Spanish officials confirmed the identities after family members arrived in Spain, and the bodies were subsequently repatriated to Portugal.
Both Jota and his parents have strong ties to Gondomar, a working-class suburb near Porto where the talented forward began his football journey as a child. His deep connection to his roots was evident throughout his career, despite rising to international stardom with Liverpool.
The tragedy occurred only two weeks after Jota’s wedding to his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso. The couple, parents to three children — the youngest born just last year — had been enjoying a break following a season in which Jota contributed to Liverpool’s triumphant Premier League campaign.
André Silva, Jota’s younger brother, played for Penafiel, a club competing in the lower divisions of Portuguese football. While he didn’t achieve the same global recognition, he was deeply admired in local football circles.
Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, though initial reports indicate no other vehicle was involved in the crash.
Across Portugal and the football world, tributes have poured in. Portuguese officials expressed heartfelt condolences, while Liverpool fans laid wreaths, flowers, and team scarves outside Anfield Stadium to honor Jota’s memory. A poignant minute of silence was also observed before Portugal’s match against Spain at the Women’s European Championship in Switzerland.
In Gondomar, the heartbreak is palpable, especially at Gondomar SC, the club where Jota’s football story began at the age of nine. Anselmo Serra, a director at Gondomar SC, shared poignant memories of Jota’s unwavering loyalty to his childhood friends and community.
“He never forgot his roots, nor his friends, because he had a group of friends who were with him in training here in Gondomar and who he even invited from time to time to go and watch Liverpool games in England,” Serra told The Associated Press. “They were like a group of friends that he never forgot over the years.”
As the city prepares for Saturday’s funeral, the shock and grief remain raw. Gondomar, Liverpool, and the footballing world mourn a player whose talent and humility touched many lives, leaving a legacy far beyond the pitch.
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