On Sunday morning, thousands of mourners gathered in the church of Gondomar, a municipality located east of the Porto metropolitan area, to pay their final respects to Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva. The brothers tragically lost their lives in a car crash in Spain on Thursday. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Manuel Linda of Porto, drawing a large crowd that filled the church to capacity, with dozens more listening via loudspeakers set up outside.
Following the emotional funeral mass, the coffins of the two players were transported to the cemetery adjacent to the church. The urns containing their remains were carried by close friends and fellow players from Gondomar FC, the club where Diogo Jota began his football journey at the tender age of nine. André Silva also started his football career at this club before making a move to the youth academy of FC Porto.
The procession to the cemetery was a touching scene, as thousands of fans accompanied the urns on foot, eager to pay their last respects to the beloved local players who had made significant contributions to the sport.
The ceremonies were attended by the squad of Liverpool Football Club, led by captain Virgil Van Dijk. He arrived with a red floral arrangement shaped like a football shirt, featuring Diogo Jota's number 20 prominently displayed in white. Teammate Andrew Robertson carried a similar tribute with the number 30, representing André Silva, who played for FC Penafiel in Portugal’s second division.
Portugal's national team coach, Roberto Martínez, along with several high-profile Portuguese players, including Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias from Manchester City, and Bruno Fernandes, captain of Manchester United, were also present. Martínez expressed his sentiments to journalists, stating, “These are very sad days. Today was a reminder that we are a family, we are together and we are Portugal. We must thank everyone for their messages from around the world. We stand with André Silva and Diogo Jota, always.”
Notably absent from the proceedings was Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. According to British media outlet The Mirror, Ronaldo chose to skip the funeral to avoid overshadowing the somber atmosphere. Just days prior, he had shared an emotional tribute to Jota on social media, expressing his condolences in light of the tragic event.
Diogo Jota, aged 28, and André Silva, aged 25, were tragically found deceased near Zamora, in northwestern Spain, after their Lamborghini crashed on a desolate stretch of the A-52 highway shortly after midnight on Thursday and subsequently burst into flames. They were en route to Santander in northern Spain to catch a ferry to the United Kingdom, where Diogo was scheduled to return to Liverpool following a summer break to prepare for the new season.
Spanish authorities revealed that a tire on Jota’s vehicle blew out as he attempted to overtake another car, leading to the tragic accident. The police are currently conducting an investigation into the incident. After identification by family members, the bodies of the two players were repatriated to Portugal. A wake was held for them on Friday, allowing friends and family to gather and remember the brothers.
Diogo Jota’s untimely death came just two weeks after he married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, during a holiday following a successful season where he played a pivotal role in helping Liverpool secure their 20th Premier League title and contributed to Portugal winning their second UEFA Nations League title last month. The couple shared three children, with their youngest born just last year.
The shocking loss of the Liverpool striker has prompted an outpouring of condolences from across various sectors, including sports, entertainment, and politics, as friends, fans, and colleagues remember the impact that both Diogo Jota and André Silva had on the world of football.
