Jota remembered by Liverpool in emotional tribute at season opener
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - August 15, 2025 The teams stand for a minutes silence in tribute to Liverpool's Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before the match REUTERS/Peter Powell
LIVERPOOL, England - Emotional Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah buried his face in his hands as the Anfield crowd gave a heart-wrenching rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" in tribute to beloved forward Diogo Jota ahead of the Premier League season-opener on Friday.
The reigning champions honoured the Portugal forward with a minute's silence before the kick-off against Bournemouth as Jota's death in a car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva last month cast a sombre cloud over the pre-game proceedings.
The players stood arm-in-arm with heads bowed, while fans wiped away tears and the words "Rest in peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, you'll never walk alone," were displayed around the pitch.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot reflected on how the squad had coped following the death of their teammate.
"The squad is far better than I expected five or six weeks ago," the Dutchman told Sky Sports before kick-off.
"At the moment in time you feel, will it ever be possible to play again or will it ever be possible to get them going again?
"But as I said many times they have conducted themselves so, so well in that period of time, when we first heard the news (about Jota's death) and afterwards.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy
Singapore Why was Ong Beng Seng fined instead of jailed? Key points from the case
Singapore ICA to review Ong Beng Seng's PR status after he is fined for abetting obstruction of justice
Singapore Drug trafficker gets death sentence commuted after President Tharman grants clemency
Asia Former China envoy to Singapore Sun Haiyan reappears after reported questioning
Life Founder of Singapore Symphony Orchestra Choo Hoey dies at 90
Singapore Hawkers at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre will not need to provide free meals under new contracts
"On both sides they were great. As human beings but also they understood that they needed to be professional footballers again so we had to work hard and that is what they started doing."
Jota scarves and banners dotted the crowd, while "Diogo" shirts dominated those worn by fans pouring into the stadium.
Fans in two stands held placards that spelt out "DJ 20" and "AS 30" in Portugal's red, green and white colours.
The Liverpool players will wear a "Forever 20" emblem on their shirts this season, while the club has retired Jota's No. 20 shirt across all levels of the club, including the women's team and academy, after consultation with Jota's family.
After 20 minutes and 20 seconds of Friday's game, the Anfield crowd stood and cheered and sang their Jota song, set to the tune of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising". REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Hong Kong democrat Jimmy Lai given heart monitor for final stretch of marathon trial
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox People queue to enter the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts building for the closing submissions in the national security collusion trial of Jimmy Lai. HONG KONG - Hong Kong pro-democracy businessman Jimmy Lai was provided with medication and a heart monitor for the start of his final submissions in a landmark national security trial, following health concerns over heart palpitations. Lai, 77, who founded the Apple Daily newspaper that was forced to close after a police raid and asset freeze in June 2021, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material. Lai's lawyer Robert Pang told the court on Aug 15 that Lai had some episodes where he felt that he was collapsing and had heart "palpitations", prompting the court to adjourn proceedings and order that he be provided with a heart monitor and medication. Prosecutor Anthony Chau confirmed that Lai had been provided with these items on Aug 15 and that he was now fit for court. Lai, noticeably thinner than when the trial began in late 2023 , was dressed in a white jacket in the glass dock and pressed his palms together in a prayer gesture several times to his family and supporters. One of the judges, Ms Esther Toh, said additional breaks could be provided for Lai if need be, while also acknowledging the opinion of a medical expert who examined Lai that he was "physically and mentally fit for court." "I'm worried for him. He's already in his 70s and has diabetes, and now palpitations," said Ms Lucille, a supporter who queued for hours to get into the packed courtroom. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025: Age Well Neighbourhoods will help improve seniors' access to healthcare, social activities Singapore NDR 2025: New govt-funded traineeship scheme for ITE, poly, university graduates Singapore NDR 2025: More avenues for S'poreans to be heard, get involved will be opened up, says PM Wong Business Singapore key exports fall worse than expected in July as shipments to US plunge 42.7% World Trump, tech and Texas: What's next for the US? Singapore N(T) students more likely to finish school, do as well in job market as N(A) peers: Study Singapore Singapore-developed device for diabetics measures long-term average blood sugar levels within 6 mins Business Asean can fend off protectionism blow by boosting integration: Singapore Business Federation chief Lai, a British citizen, has been held in solitary confinement for around 1,700 days. His son and some rights groups have expressed fear over his deteriorating health. Some Western governments have called for Lai's immediate release and raised concerns about the erosion of fundamental rights in the financial hub under China-imposed national security laws. Hong Kong and Chinese authorities have said Lai is being given a fair trial and have warned against such interference in the city's internal affairs. US President Donald Trump said in a media interview last week that he would "do everything I can to save him." An Australian foreign affairs spokesperson told Reuters on Aug 18 that Canberra was "deeply concerned by Hong Kong's widespread application of national security laws to repress civil society and prosecute pro-democracy advocates... such as Jimmy Lai". REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Australia edge China for Asia Cup 'three-peat'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Australia landed a third straight Asia Cup title when China's Hu Mingxuan missed a three-point buzzer beater at the end of Sunday's final, leaving the Boomers to lift the trophy with a 90-89 victory at Jeddah's King Abdullah Sports City. Xavier Cooks, who was named game MVP, scored 30 points and tournament MVP Jaylin Galloway poured in 23 as Australia fought back from an early deficit to deny China a record-extending 17th triumph in the continental championship. "The main thing is I am so proud of the character of our guys," said Boomers coach Adam Caporn. "We were down by 15, but we saw our players' toughness, their problem-solving attitude. We have great people in the programme, and in my opinion that's why we won." Hu was the standout for China with 26 points and captain Zhao Rui said coming so close to snatching the title proved the team were on the right track. "This loss actually motivates us," he said. "Some fans probably didn't expect a close game, but we delivered a wonderful game for the fans tonight. "This one-point loss will remind us to work harder and get better. Today is just the start, not the end." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025: Age Well Neighbourhoods will help improve seniors' access to healthcare, social activities Singapore NDR 2025: New govt-funded traineeship scheme for ITE, poly, university graduates Singapore NDR 2025: More avenues for S'poreans to be heard, get involved will be opened up, says PM Wong Business Singapore key exports fall worse than expected in July as shipments to US plunge 42.7% World Trump, tech and Texas: What's next for the US? Singapore N(T) students more likely to finish school, do as well in job market as N(A) peers: Study Singapore Singapore-developed device for diabetics measures long-term average blood sugar levels within 6 mins Business Asean can fend off blow from protectionism by boosting integration: Singapore Business Federation Australia joined FIBA's Asian zone from Oceania a decade ago and Sunday's victory kept them unbeaten in 18 Asia Cup matches going back to their debut in 2017. Earlier on Sunday, Iran beat New Zealand's Tall Blacks 79-73 to secure third place. REUTERS
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Russia strikes Kharkiv with ballistic missile, injures 11, Ukraine says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox KHARKIV - Russia hit a residential area in Kharkiv with a ballistic missile, injuring at least 11 people, Ukrainian authorities said late on Sunday, as the U.S. president presses Kyiv to accept a quick deal to end the war that Moscow had started. Among the injured in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, was a 13-year-old girl, Oleh Synehubov, governor of the broader Kharkiv region said on the Telegram messaging app. Kharkiv, which lies in northeastern Ukraine near the border with Russia, has been the target of regular Russian drone and missile attacks since the start of the war that Moscow launched with a full-scale invasion in February 2022. "The blast wave shattered windows in nearby apartment buildings," Ukraine's State Emergency Service said on Telegram. It added that some residents had to be evacuated. Reuters' witnesses saw medics attending to residents on a street and rescuers inspecting damage in residential buildings. A 57-year-old woman was injured in Russia's guided aerial bomb strike on the northeastern region of Sumy that also damaged at least a dozen residential houses and an educational institution building, regional authorities said. "The enemy continues to deliberately target civilian infrastructure in the Sumy region — treacherously, at night," Oleh Hryhorov, head of the regional administration in Sumy, said on Telegram. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDR 2025 a rallying cry amid significant challenges facing Singapore, say analysts Opinion A 'we first' Singapore is the hardest policy for PM Lawrence Wong to deliver Singapore NDR 2025: The case for growing old at home in super-ageing Singapore Business Will Trump's tariffs end the bull run? Singapore Singapore-developed device for diabetics measures long-term average blood sugar levels within 6 mins Singapore N(T) students more likely to finish school, do as well in job market as N(A) peers: Study Business Singapore companies' debt surge in 2024: Sustainable or risky gamble? Singapore Arrested for drug abuse, former DJ now works for anti-drug group as part of DRC scheme Reuters could not independently verify what weapons Russia used. There was no immediate comment from Moscow. Both sides deny targeting civilians in their strikes, but thousands of people have died, the vast majority of them Ukrainian. President Donald Trump, who hosted President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday for bilateral talks aimed at ending the war, has urged Kyiv to make a deal with Moscow, stating, "Russia is a very big power, and they're not." REUTERS
