Football world pays tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva at funeral in Portugal
Hundreds gathered in the Portuguese city of Gondomar on Saturday to mourn the loss of footballers Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva, who died in a car accident earlier this week.
The joint funeral service took place at the Igreja Matriz, the local church in their hometown, bringing together a community away from the football pitch, and united in their love for the pair.
Jota, 28, and Silva, 25, were laid to rest side by side just days after the fatal crash occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning in Zamora, Spain.
The two were reportedly en route to catch a ferry back to England ahead of Liverpool’s pre-season schedule, as Jota had recently undergone minor surgery and was advised by doctors not to fly.
The accident came just 11 days after Jota married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso. The couple had three children together. The timing of the tragedy have left fans and loved ones stunned.
Emotional scenes unfolded at the funeral as prominent figures from the football world attended the service.
Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were among the many who entered the church carrying floral tributes, walking in formation reminiscent of stepping onto the pitch, a moment that visibly moved those gathered.
Serás para sempre recordado. Descansa em paz, Diogo Jota.
You will always be remembered. Rest in peace, Diogo Jota.
pic.twitter.com/VMCSlQ6c8A
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) July 5, 2025
Players, friends, and family filed into the church in silence as the bell tolled. Among them, one mourner held a placard with a photo of Andre Silva, bearing the message “Para sempre um de nos”- “Forever one of us.”
Outside, unable to find space inside the packed church, dozens of mourners embraced and consoled one another, many wearing football shirts representing clubs both domestic and international.
The crowd, filled with locals and fans, fell silent for much of the one-hour service. Many supporters applauded the players as they arrived.
Jota, known for his relentless energy on the pitch, had become a beloved figure at Liverpool and throughout Portuguese football.
Silva, who played for Penafiel, was also admired in his own right, both for his talent and his connection to the local community.
Only three months ago, Jota was celebrating a Premier League title win with Liverpool.
Now, the same team-mates who shared in those moments stood alongside him and his family in grief, in a display of unity that underscored just how deeply the tragedy has affected the footballing world.
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