Family members, close friends, and fans gathered in deep sorrow on Friday at a church in Gondomar to pay their final respects to Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, following their tragic deaths in a car accident in Spain. The bodies of the Portuguese siblings were brought to the Capela da Ressurreição São Cosme, where a wake was held ahead of Saturday’s planned funeral service.
Outside the chapel, mourners embraced and shed tears before entering to bid farewell, while others left floral tributes and lit candles beside a tree that had become an impromptu memorial site. Among those present were the grieving parents of the players, as well as Jota’s high-profile agent, Jorge Mendes. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also visited the chapel to extend his condolences in person.
Jota, 28, and Silva, 25, were discovered deceased near Zamora in northwestern Spain after the Lamborghini they were travelling in veered off a remote stretch of highway shortly after midnight on Thursday, crashing and erupting into flames.
Spanish authorities confirmed the brothers’ bodies were repatriated to Portugal following identification by their family. Investigators indicated that the crash, which involved no other vehicle, may have been caused by a blown tire.
His untimely death comes just two weeks after he married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, during a family holiday after a demanding season in which he helped Liverpool capture the Premier League title. The couple shared three young children, the youngest born only last year. His brother Silva played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.
As news of the devastating accident spread, an outpouring of grief and tributes emerged from Portuguese officials, the global football community, and heartbroken fans. Outside Liverpool’s iconic Anfield stadium, supporters laid wreaths of flowers and club scarves to honor Jota’s memory. A moment of silence was also observed ahead of Portugal’s Women’s European Championship clash against Spain in Switzerland. The loss was felt sharply in his hometown, especially at his first soccer club, where Jota started playing at age 9.
The funeral proceedings on Saturday are expected to draw further expressions of solidarity as Portugal continues to mourn the loss of two of its beloved sons.
(With AP inputs)
