Liverpool have expressed deep sorrow following the tragic death of their forward, Diogo Jota, who passed away in the early hours of Thursday.
Jota and his brother, André Silva, lost their lives in a car accident in the Spanish province of Zamora. Reports indicate that Jota was driving to catch a ferry as he prepared to return for Liverpool’s pre-season training, having been advised by doctors not to fly due to a recent minor surgery.
In an emotional statement shared on the club’s official social media channels, head coach Arne Slot extended heartfelt condolences and unwavering support to Jota’s family, stating that; “You’ll never walk alone.”
“My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, all supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, 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.My condolences go to Diogo’s wife, Rute, their three beautiful children and to parents of Diogo and André.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, mourn his loss. Never be forgotten. 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐠o,” writes Arne Slot.
Liverpool have since announced that Jota’s ‘No. 20 Jersey will be rightly immortalised as a way of remembering his contributions towards the growth of the team.
Arne Slot’s tribute comes high on heals of an outpouring of love and support from the global footballing community, with fans from a number of clubs laying flowers and shirts outside Anfield.
Super starts Christiano Ronaldo and Messi have described Jota as a rare gem, having capitalized his talent in contributing to the transformation of football.
Others include; Anfield chiefs Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicious Junior, Sadio Manne, Lamine Yamal and Arsenal’s Declan Rice.
According to a police report we have seen, initially , Jota’s car was overtaking another vehicle when a tyre blew out, leading to the crash and the car catching fire.
The 28-years-old player died barely days after he tied a knot with his long-term partner Rute Cardoso. The pair have three children together.
Jota’s brother was aged 25 and played for Penafiel in the Portuguese second tier.
