Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother André Silva were laid to rest on the morning of Saturday, July 5, during an emotional funeral service held at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar (the Mother Church of Gondomar) in Portugal.
The ceremony, which began at 10 a.m., drew a large turnout from the football community. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk led a delegation from the club that included Andy Robertson, Darwin Núñez, Alexis Mac Allister, Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, head coach Arne Slot, sporting director Richard Hughes, and CEO of football Michael Edwards.
Several of Jota’s teammates from the Portuguese national team were also in attendance, including Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias of Manchester City, Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, João Cancelo of Al Hilal, and midfielder Rúben Neves, among others.
Jota, 28, and Silva, 25, tragically lost their lives in the early hours of Thursday when their Lamborghini crashed and caught fire near Zamora in northwestern Spain. The accident occurred just after midnight on a remote stretch of highway. Reports indicate the brothers were en route to catch a boat to England, where Jota was scheduled to return to Liverpool following his summer break.
The tragedy comes just two weeks after Jota married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso. The couple shared three children, the youngest of whom was born last year. Jota had recently played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title win, capping off a successful season before the heartbreaking loss.
