Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has paid tribute to “very special” Diogo Jota, after the forward was killed in a car accident in Spain.
It is understood the 28-year-old and his brother, Andre Silva, 25, died as Jota was returning to Liverpool for pre-season training, which begins next week, and that he was due to take a ferry back to England as he had been advised not to fly following minor surgery.
Jota won the Premier League with Liverpool under Slot’s management last season and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club after joining from Wolves in 2020. He also lifted an FA Cup and two Carabao Cups with Liverpool.
In a statement released on Liverpool’s website, Slot said: “What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not.
“All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about.
“My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.
“My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football.
“This is not solely a response to tragedy. It is also a reaction to the goodness of the people involved and the respect that so many have for the boys as individuals and for the family as a whole.
“For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special.
“I could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it. Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool player should be.
“There were also the parts that not everyone got to see. The person who never sought popularity but found it anyway. Not a friend to two people, a friend to everyone. Someone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family.
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Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher says football is coming together to mourn the death of Diogo Jota and his brother
“The last time we spoke, I congratulated Diogo on winning the Nations League and wished him luck for his forthcoming wedding. In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this.
“When I first came to the club, one of the first songs I got to know was the one that our fans sing for Diogo. I had not worked with him previously but I knew straight away that if the Liverpool supporters, who have seen so many great players over the years, had such a unique chant for Diogo, he must have special qualities.
“That we have lost those qualities in such terrible circumstances is something we have not yet come to terms with. For this reason, we need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves.
“My condolences go to Diogo’s wife, Rute, their three beautiful children and to the parents of Diogo and Andre Silva.
“When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song. For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten.
“His name is Diogo.”
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As football fans across the world mourn the death of Diogo Jota and his brother, one Liverpool fan told her story of one of her encounters with the Portuguese forward
‘You’ll never walk alone’ – Liverpool’s leaders pay their respects to Jota
Liverpool have released a statement on behalf of Billy Hogan, CEO of FSG international, John Henry, founder of FSG, Tom Werner, chairman of FSG, and Mike Gordon, president of FSG:
On behalf of the leadership teams at Liverpool Football Club and Fenway Sports Group, we offer our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of our number 20 – Diogo Jota, and his brother Andre Silva.
This tragic situation and the reality of it is truly shocking, devastating and has left us numb with grief. We therefore cannot imagine how the immediate and wider family of these remarkable brothers must be feeling. Our thoughts, prayers and support are with them all.
We all know what Diogo could do on the field of play and the vital role he played in our successes since he joined this club in 2020. How he quickly became a firm fan favourite, and his song reverberated around Anfield and in stadiums across the world.
So many special moments, so many special memories.
But beyond the player that we all knew, was a wonderfully humble human being, he was sincere, intelligent, funny, tough and created connections with people everywhere he went. He had a zest for life that was utterly contagious. Diogo was a loving father, son, husband and brother, and we, and everyone who knew him, will miss him deeply as we all try and process the enormity of today.
Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. You Will Never Walk Alone.
Billy, John, Tom, Mike.
Liverpool also released a statement on behalf of Michael Edwards, FSG’s chief executive of football, and Richard Hughes, the club’s sporting director:
There is nothing that we can say in this moment to ease the pain of such a devastating tragedy. We all feel utterly bereft right now.
In such heartbreaking circumstances, it is our responsibility to acknowledge the collective grief we are experiencing, to pay tribute to our Diogo, and to offer unwavering support to his family who remain our absolute priority at this time.
Diogo’s wife, Rute, their three beautiful children, his parents and wider family are facing an unimaginable loss. This tragic accident has taken not only Diogo, but also his brother, Andre Silva. We mourn them both equally. We must respect the family’s privacy and give them the space to grieve in whichever way they need.
Tributes in memory of Diogo Jota outside Anfield
A fan adds their tribute among many others outside Anfield
Of course, we – his Liverpool family – are also struggling to come to terms with what has happened. As his team-mates, friends and colleagues, we are consumed by shock and sorrow. We know our supporters, his national team, former clubs and team-mates and the wider football community share in this grief. This is a tragedy that transcends Liverpool Football Club.
In the coming days, we as a club will look to honour our beloved number 20 with the respect and affection he so richly deserves. We will strive to make these tributes meaningful and inclusive of our supporters, to whom Diogo meant so much.
For now, we express a love that is filled with deep sorrow and pain. We have lost someone truly irreplaceable.
Rest in peace, Diogo.
Klopp: We will miss you so much
Jurgen Klopp – who signed Jota for Liverpool – said he was heartbroken to hear of his former player’s passing.
In an Instagram post, he said: “This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it!
“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre. Diogo was a not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much!”
Carragher ‘in a state of shock’ after Jota death
The accident happened at 12.30am local time on Thursday (11.30pm Wednesday BST) on the A-52 motorway in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora.
The car Jota and his brother were travelling in left the road and caught fire after a suspected burst tyre while overtaking, according to a statement issued to Sky Sports News by the Civil Guard in Zamora.
Jota had married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, less than two weeks ago, and had three children.
Jamie Carragher described his shock at the news and paid tribute to Jota as a “family man”.
“It’s one of the few times the whole football family comes together,” he told Sky Sports News. “I cannot believe it, it’s so sad and devastating for his family, his wife and three wonderful children.
“He lived really close to us but kept himself to himself. He came across as very quiet and humble, a real family man. Seemed like a great guy and of course a great footballer.
“It’s difficult to find the words to say. It’s not really about the football and Liverpool right now, but about his family and three lovely kids.
“The summer he’s had, he’s just won the Premier League with Liverpool, the Nations League with Portugal and got married two weeks ago. It just shows us all how quickly life can change, you can’t even comprehend it.
“It makes us all take a step back and look at how important things really are, maybe football itself. We get passionate and heated about the game, myself included, but this makes you think, Why? What for?”
Jota’s Liverpool team-mate Darwin Nunez wrote on Instagram: “There are no words of comfort for so much pain. I will always remember you with your smile, as a good companion on and off the field.
“I send all my strength to his family. From where he is I’m sure he will always be with you, especially his wife and three children.”
Tributes pour in from around football
Wolves, where Jota spent three years in total, posted a tribute to their former player, saying: “We are heartbroken.
“Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his team-mates and cherished by everyone who worked with him during his time at Wolves. The memories he created will never be forgotten.
“Our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Diogo and his brother, Andre. You will be truly missed and always remembered.”
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who played with Jota for the national team, said on social media: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had gotten married.
“To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.”
As well as former clubs, team-mates and managers, tributes were paid to Jota from across the world of football.
