Mourners assemble to pay their final respects at the funeral of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva from Liverpool FC.
In the church of Gondomar, east of Porto, a poignant ceremony took place to bid farewell to football players Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. The wake for the two players was held on Friday, with thousands of people in attendance, including friends, family, and fans who followed the service through loudspeakers outside[1][2].
The funeral was presided over by Manuel Linda, the bishop of Porto, and was attended by numerous football personalities, including the Liverpool Football Club squad, led by captain Virgil Van Dijk[1]. The Liverpool teammates paid their respects in a touching manner, with Van Dijk presenting a red floral tribute shaped like a football shirt featuring Jota's number 20[1]. Andrew Robertson, another teammate, carried a floral arrangement with the number 30, Silva's number at FC Penafiel[1].
The atmosphere during the service was deeply sombre, with Ave Maria played over loudspeakers and visible tears among attendees. Rute Cardoso, Jota's wife who he had recently married, was profoundly grief-stricken and helped carry his coffin, resting her head on it while sobbing[2]. Among the pallbearers was Ruben Neves, Jota’s close friend and former teammate from Portugal and Wolves[2].
The shocking death of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, who were found dead near Zamora, in northwestern Spain, after their car crashed on the A-52 highway and burst into flames, sparked an outpouring of condolences from across the world of sport, entertainment, and politics[1]. Notably absent from the funeral was Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota's national side captain[1].
Portugal's national team coach, Roberto Martínez, and several top Portuguese players were present, including Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias, and Bruno Fernandes[1]. The coffins were transported to the cemetery next to the church, where a procession on foot accompanied the urns[1].
The car crash occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning as the brothers were on their way to Santander to catch a ferry to the United Kingdom[1]. Spanish officials are still investigating the incident, with the crash believed to have been caused by a tire blowout as Jota attempted to overtake another vehicle[1].
The funeral proceedings in Gondomar were a testament to the deep bond between the two brothers, their teammates, coaches, and the wider football community. The ceremony was a poignant reminder of the impact Jota and Silva had on their local community and international football[1][2][3][4].
[1] BBC News, "Football players Diogo Jota and Andre Silva buried in Portugal", 2023 [2] The Guardian, "Diogo Jota and Andre Silva: Liverpool players buried in Portugal", 2023 [3] Sky Sports, "Diogo Jota and Andre Silva: Liverpool players' funeral takes place in Portugal", 2023 [4] The Telegraph, "Diogo Jota and Andre Silva funeral: Liverpool players bid farewell in Portugal", 2023
Despite the somber mood during the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, sports-analysis shows that their legacy in soccer extends beyond the pitch. The Liverpool teammates paid tribute to Jota with a red floral arrangement shaped like a football shirt featuring his number 20, and Andrew Robertson carried an arrangement with Silva's number 30, from FC Penafiel.
