Diogo Jota and Andre Silva Remembered by Family and Community During Hometown Vigil

In the northern Portuguese town of Gondomar, hundreds of residents paid their respects on Friday as they filed past the bodies of former Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, at a local chapel. The brothers tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain.

Prior to the public viewing, a private wake saw the attendance of notable figures including Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, FC Porto President Andre Villas-Boas, Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca, and Jota’s long-time agent Jorge Mendes. They were joined by family members, including Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, who had only married the footballer weeks before.

“This is an incredibly painful moment for the family, who are grappling with the aftermath of this tragic incident,” Proenca stated as he exited the wake. “Diogo was an icon, embodying the talent that Portuguese football represents and its ability to unite people.”

Reports indicate that the brothers were travelling to a ferry in Spain to head to the UK when their Lamborghini veered off the road and ignited shortly after midnight on Thursday. Authorities suspect a blowout may have been the cause.

Andre Silva was also making a name for himself in football, playing with Penafiel in the Portuguese second division.

Their funeral is scheduled for Saturday at a local church, beginning at 10 a.m. local time, according to the office of Gondomar’s mayor.

The sudden passing of 28-year-old forward Jota has sent shockwaves through the football community, with tributes pouring in from former teammates, clubs, and fans, as well as national leaders.

“Diogo was a quiet hero who represented so much on and off the pitch,” Villas-Boas remarked as he left the wake.

“These days are deeply tragic and bring a time for reflection; may the memories of these two athletes, these two remarkable men, continue to resonate,” he added, reflecting on the loss.

Fans outside Liverpool’s Anfield stadium have been leaving flowers, scarves, and handwritten notes in honour of the late player, many of which are from children.

“I never imagined something would prevent me from returning to Liverpool after the summer break,” expressed Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah on Instagram.

“Teammates come and go, but not in this manner. It’s going to be incredibly difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we return,” he lamented.

Reflecting on a Friend

Jota’s manager at Liverpool, Arne Slot, conveyed his condolences in a statement on Thursday, emphasising that his thoughts are with the grieving family.

“My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone,” Slot faithfully referenced the club’s anthem.

“For us as a club, the shock is immeasurable. Diogo was not just our player; he was family to all of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, a friend, and in every capacity, he was exceptional,” the Dutchman reiterated.

Residents of Gondomar, a town of about 160,000 known for its artisanal gold and filigree jewellery, are struggling to comprehend the untimely loss of their hometown hero.

At the Diogo Jota Academy, where the motto is “It’s not where we come from, but where we are headed,” people gathered to light candles and lay flowers, as well as scarves and shirts from the clubs he represented and the Portuguese national team, as a tribute.

Jota founded this academy in 2022 for children aged six to nine at Gondomar Football Club, where he himself played for a decade during his childhood.

It was at Gondomar’s high school that Jota met his wife. Their relationship began at the age of 15 while in the same class, and she became a significant pillar in his life.

When they were 19, they moved to Madrid following Jota’s transfer from the small Portuguese club Pacos de Ferreira to Atletico Madrid.

“Beyond being his girlfriend and best friend, I am his number one fan,” Cardoso shared with the newspaper ‘A Bola’ at that time.

Following lung surgery for a fractured rib, which barred him from flying for several weeks, Jota was making his way back to Liverpool by car, his physiotherapist Miguel Goncalves shared with a broadcaster late Thursday.

Goncalves mentioned that Jota was on the mend from the pneumothorax surgery and had intended to take a ferry to the UK from Spain.