Family and friends gather at Diogo Jota's wake as queue forms outside chapel

Independent

5 hours ago

Family and friends have gathered for the wake of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, with a queue forming outside the Portuguese chapel, following the player's death in a car crash in Spain.
The father of three, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the accident, was killed alongside his brother, Andre Silva, after a Lamborghini they were travelling in burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The brothers' parents attended the Sao Cosme Chapel, the Capela da Ressurreicao, in the town of Gondomar near Porto on Friday, with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and Jota's agent also among attendees.
Some mourners embraced and cried before entering the venue as floral tributes of yellow and white and candles were lain by a tree outside.
People held service sheets featuring pictures of both brothers, the largest one showing Jota smiling in his Liverpool FC shirt and making a heart sign with his hands.
One man came to pay his respects wearing a Liverpool top.
The wake comes ahead of their funeral, which parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, Jose Manuel Macedo, said would begin at 10am on Saturday.
Liverpool Football Club postponed the return of players for pre-season following Jota's death, as a number of players past and present paid tribute.
The club's manager, Arne Slot, said the 'sense of shock is absolute', adding: 'He was a loved one to all of us.'
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson returned to Anfield with flowers and a club scarf on Friday as he paid his own tribute to Jota.
A sea of floral tributes had been left outside the ground, with many Liverpool fans and supporters of other clubs looking to pay their respects.
Flags have been lowered to half-mast at the stadium and all club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday, with staff offered wellbeing support.
Liverpool forward Mo Salah said the loss has made the prospect of returning to the club frightening.
He shared a black and white picture of him and Jota hugging on the pitch on social media, saying: 'I am truly lost for words.
'Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break.
'Team mates come and go but not like this. It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back.'
Jota and Silva were both found dead after the car crashed on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday.
Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking, and a source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed 'a possible speeding incident' was being looked at.
Pictures of the aftermath of the crash showed debris scattered along the side of the road including what appeared to be charred parts of the vehicle.
No other vehicles are said to have been involved in the incident.
The club has opened physical and digital books of condolence in the wake of the deaths, and supporters and members of the public can go to the Anfield Road Stand reception area over the coming days to sign a message.