It doesn't make sense – Cristiano Ronaldo leads tributes to Diogo Jota
Não faz sentido. Ainda agora estávamos juntos na Seleção, ainda agora tinhas casado. À tua familia, à tua mulher e aos teus filhos, envio os meus sentimentos e desejo-lhes toda a força do mundo. Sei que estarás sempre com eles. Descansem em Paz, Diogo e André. Vamos todos sentir… pic.twitter.com/H1qSTvPoQs
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) July 3, 2025
Ronaldo said in a post on X alongside a photo of Jota: '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.'
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also paid tribute to Jota, saying on Sky Sports News: 'Just in a state of shock. Not with anyone associated to Liverpool but football in general. It is one of the few times when the football family all come together.
Jamie Carragher paid tributes to Diogo Jota (Mike Egerton/PA)
'I just cannot believe it. For everybody involved but especially his family – his wife and the children they've got, it's devastating for all involved.
'I can only imagine how his team-mates feel at Liverpool and Portugal, they must be in a world of pain with his friends and family.
'It just shows us all how quickly life can change. What a summer he's had, and you get this devastating news that his family have had in the last few hours, you can't even comprehend it.'
Atlético de Madrid is shocked by the tragic news of the passing of former club player Diogo Jota and his brother André. We send our deepest condolences to their family and loved ones. May they rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/gbYbKgRIWD
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) July 3, 2025
Raul Jimenez and Ruben Neves posted on their Instagram stories following the announcement of their former Wolves team-mate's death.
Mexico striker Jimenez, now at Fulham, said: 'It's hard to receive this kind of news, and I still can't believe it.
'An excellent colleague, friend, and above all, a great father. Thanks for everything, my friend. We'll always remember you.'
Jota's Portuguese compatriot Neves said: 'They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget them.'
My prayers goes out to his loved ones during this time! May you all be guided and protected! YNWA JOTA!! 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️ https://t.co/B3tYVJJxkA
— LeBron James (@KingJames) July 3, 2025
Jota's former clubs Porto and Atletico Madrid also took to social media. Porto said on X they were in 'mourning' in a statement, while Atletico added they were 'shocked by the tragic news'.
Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville wrote on X: 'That is heartbreaking news on Diogo Jota and his brother. All my love and best wishes to his family.'
NBA great and well-known Liverpool supporter LeBron James posted on X: 'My prayers goes out to his loved ones during this time! May you all be guided and protected! YNWA (You'll Never Walk Alone) JOTA!!'
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The Guardian
16 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘Truly awful': rival fans united in grief at Anfield after death of Diogo Jota
Outside Anfield, where Diogo Jota's name recently soared from the stands, fans stood in a sombre, stricken silence. Barely five weeks ago they had watched their Portuguese hero lift the Premier League trophy, singing and dancing with his soon-to-be wife, their two sons, four and two, and their six-month-old daughter. Now, in a tragedy that puts the fleeting glories of football into shocking perspective, fans were laying floral tributes. 'It's just devastating,' said Gary Mann, 48, a season ticket holder, as he struggled to contain his emotions. 'He's a 28-year-old kid. He just always came across as a really nice human being – and that's the worst part of it. It's tremendously sad for his family.' Men, women and children were in tears as they hung scarves from trees and laid football shirts alongside an ever-growing bank of flowers outside Liverpool's main stand in the hours after Jota's death was announced on Thursday morning. Balloons bearing the number 20 – Jota's shirt number – were among the tributes, with several fans asking for the club to retire the number in his memory. 'He was an honorary scouser,' said Elliot Francis, 19, wearing his Liverpool jersey with Jota's autograph on the back, signed by the Kop favourite after one of the many home games when he would stop and talk to supporters. Jota's death – in a car crash in Spain alongside his 26-year-old brother, André Silva – is one of those shocking events that cuts through club rivalry and transcends football. Everton shirts were among those laid alongside those of Liverpool, Leeds United, Glasgow Rangers, Crystal Palace and other clubs opposite Anfield's Hillsborough memorial, dedicated to the 97 killed in the 1989 stadium disaster. 'My stomach turned this morning when I heard the news,' said Liza, 47, who would be raising eyebrows by wearing her Everton shirt at Anfield on any other day. 'It's not about that today. It's horrible for Liverpool fans and for the city. It's just absolutely heartbreaking.' In just the past six weeks, Jota had lifted the Premier League title with Liverpool and the Uefa Nations League trophy with Portugal. Two months ago he scored the winner in a tense home derby against Everton – his final goal. But it was the personal tragedy, rather than the onfield heroics, that left fans dumbstruck on Thursday. Jota married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, only 11 days ago, posting a video of their wedding on social media on Wednesday, along with the caption: 'A day we will never forget.' 'He had only just got married and had kids. Now his wife's a widow. It's truly awful,' said Anthony Ferns, 43. 'I live 10 minutes away and rushed over when I heard the news. I still can't believe it. It's like something from a disaster movie.' After laying down a Leeds United shirt, Maz Ferguson said she last saw Jota scoring two goals at Anfield against her club. 'But he was a player that you liked,' she said. 'He's gone out at the height of his career but football's irrelevant. He's got a wife and three young children, a mum and a dad who've just lost two sons.' Ferguson, 34, a lifelong Leeds fan, added: 'If any club has been through everything it's this club but Liverpool fans will come together for Diogo's family. This club knows how to put its arms around people.' Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, said she was 'absolutely devastated' for Jota's family after she laid a large red-and-white bouquet alongside the tributes. 'It's absolutely heartbreaking. It just shows how life events can change really quickly. I'm absolutely devastated for his wife, his children and his family. I can't imagine what they're going through at the moment. My son is 28 and it's just really shocking.' Denise Cook, a season ticket holder for 41 years, had written a line from Jota's famous chant – 'And his name is Diogo' – on her floral tribute. 'It will go down as one of the tragic days like Hillsborough,' she said. 'He just gave everything. He never gave up, he was always chasing the ball. He was very integral. He was just always there and always trying. At the time I thought it was one of the best signings we'd made.' Amber McKendry, 30, and her partner, Roger McBurney, 34, both Liverpool fans, had flown from their home in Belfast with their three young children for a long-planned tour of the Anfield Museum when the news broke on Thursday morning. They had to break the news to Freddie, seven, Max, five, and Farrah, four, all wearing their Liverpool shirts at the stadium. 'They're still digesting it,' said McKendry. 'They haven't really dealt with much death in their life. They've all went a bit quiet. It's become a very different day for us all.'
ITV News
25 minutes ago
- ITV News
'Devastated' fans gather at Anfield to pay tribute to Diogo Jota following his sudden death
Shocked and grief-stricken Liverpool fans have flocked to the home of the Reds to lay flowers outside Anfield for their fallen hero Diogo Jota. A steady stream of hundreds of supporters passed the Liverpool flag, lowered to half-mast outside the famous old stadium, before making their way to an impromptu shrine outside the Main Stand. The area quickly became a sea of red and white flowers, scarves and shirts, a single blue Everton shirt amongst them, a tribute from a fan of their city rivals. Many supporters stood sombrely in silence, wiping away tears, others swapping happy memories about times the striker had scored to the delight of the Kop. Fighting back tears, John Lynch, 64, from Liverpool, said: 'I got the news this morning by text. Devastated. You know to lose a life so young but at Liverpool, we are all one, we're family. 'And when something like this happens, it's devastating. We were all looking forward to the new season. 'I've just been standing by the players' entrance where the coach comes in, thinking, he will never go through there again.' Mr Lynch said he expects fans from some of the Reds biggest rivals, Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City, to come to Anfield to lay flowers. He added: 'At time like this, football goes out the window. They'll all turn up and pay their respects.' Nisha Abraham, 21, from Malaysia but studying a law degree in Liverpool, said she felt compelled to come down to Anfield after hearing the news in a call from her mother back home on the other side of the world. 'I had to,' Ms Abraham said. 'It's almost like a family member to us. How can I not come here and pay my respects? So, I've brought a bouquet of flowers. 'I was lying in bed and my mother called me on the phone. And I sprung out of bed and I was in utter shock, I kept saying, 'What? What?' 'We have a huge following of Liverpool in Malaysia, we have a very big fan base.' Also clearly emotional was Callum Sullivan, 24, from Walton, Liverpool, who said: 'I found out this morning, my dad phoned me, he said, 'Have you heard the news?' 'Like me thinking Liverpool have just signed a world class player. And he said, 'Jota's passed away'. 'The whole world just collapsed on me. 'And the turnout today makes me proud to say I'm a Liverpool fan because we're really coming together, like we always do. 'Obviously a time of tragedy and heartbreak like this, this city really comes together and that makes me proud to be from here. 'We shouldn't be saying goodbye to one of our own. This is just raw emotion that's coming out of me. I'm trying not to cry again, but I loved him.' Mr Sullivan said the club should now retire the number 20 shirt, Jota's number. He added: 'Just retire it. It's Jota's legacy, it's Jota's number.' Egyptian Mohamed Abouelhuda, 49, a banker who lives in Dubai, visiting Liverpool with his children, said: 'We want to send our condolences on behalf of Egypt and also on behalf of Mo Salah, because most probably he's not here in town right now. 'It's very sad, very shocking, he was an incredible player, as a human being he's very good, everyone like him. 'We want to send our condolences to the entire team, the whole city as well and Portugal. 'It's sad and the guy who was in the peak right now, what he's doing and in his career, so he's in the best shape and this could happen to anyone. 'God bless the entire team of Liverpool.' Daniel Garrett, 29, from the Wirral, wearing a Liverpool shirt with Jota's name, said: 'It's absolutely devastating this, I'm sure a lot of people just like me, will be heart-broken about this too. 'He was a well-loved player Jota, who will tragically be missed. 'I thought I would come and pay my respects as well. 'My hearts and thoughts go to Jota's family and friends.'
The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
Lucy Bronze: England will give full support to Portugal after Diogo Jota's death
England defender Lucy Bronze said the Lionesses would lend their full support to the Portuguese team at the Women's European Championship after they were 'shocked' by the death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota. Portugal play World Cup champions Spain in their tournament opener on Thursday night in Bern, where a minute's silence will be observed in honour of the Portugal international and 28-year-old father of three, who was killed in a car crash alongside his brother in Spain. Bronze, who was born in Berwick-Upon-Tweed to a Portuguese father and an English mother, said the Lionesses were stunned when word travelled through the camp in Zurich, where they are preparing to open their title defence against France on Saturday. 'Yeah it definitely shocked all the squad when we woke up this morning and the news started to spread,' said Bronze, who will be competing in her fourth consecutive Euros and seventh major tournament. 'Obviously we have a lot of Liverpool fans in our team and football fans, but for people in general, everyone is just thinking of them – him and his brother. They were so young as well. We have seen all the messages on social media and stuff so you can tell what a great guy he has been. It's just really sad and we were shocked by the news, really.' A moment of silence will be observed at all of Thursday and Friday's matches in memory of Jota and his brother Andre Silva. Bronze added: 'We'll be watching the games tonight and Portugal play their first game against Spain and I know there will be a minute's silence held before that game. 'I think everyone in an England shirt and everyone in the tournament will be supporting the Portuguese team because they will be a lot closer to this than we are. 'It is just a really sad moment for everyone involved in football, knowing what a great guy he is and what an amazing year he's had – not just in football, but he got married a few weeks ago and he's got some little kids. It's just so sad.' A Lionesses statement read: 'We are devastated at the tragic loss of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. It is truly difficult to comprehend. 'The Lionesses send our heartfelt condolences to Diogo's family and friends, and all the players, staff and fans connected to Liverpool FC, his former clubs and the Portugal national teams. 'We stand beside the Portuguese team here in Switzerland and the whole football family in honouring Diogo and Andre's memory.'
