Funeral preparations begin for Diogo Jota as tributes to Liverpool star continue
Flowers could be seen being carried into a chapel in Porto ahead of the 28-year-old's funeral – which parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, Jose Manuel Macedo, said would begin at 10am on Saturday.
A wake for the brothers is set to take place on Friday afternoon at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao.
Flowers gifted from Porto FC ahead of the wake of Diogo Jota being held at Sao Cosme Chapel in the town of Gondomar near Porto (PA)
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro was one of a number of people to arrive at the chapel for the wake on Friday.
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.
Jota was killed in a car crash on Thursday (Mike Egerton/PA)
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.
The online book can be found at https://www.liverpoolfc.com/club/diogo-jota-supporter-condolences
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Football unites in heartbreak for Diogo Jota & brother Andre's funeral from Portugal to Liverpool after tragic car crash
LIVERPOOL star Diogo Jota was laid to rest after a heartbreaking funeral attended by his family, friends and Liverpool teammates today. The Reds striker, 28, and his 25-year-old footballer brother Andre Silva were buried just two days after their tragic deaths in a car crash. 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 As family, friends and teammates said goodbye to Jota and his brother Andre in their hometown in Portugal, mourners were paying their respects over 1,000 miles away at Anfield. A sea of floral tributes have been left outside the stadium as fans gathered to pay tribute to the star. 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 well-being support. Relatives and friends filed into the church in Gondomar, northern Portugal this morning - the same place where Diogo had got married just 13 days ago. Father-of-three Jota had only married his long-time partner Rute Cardoso a fortnight ago, with the organist and soloist who entertained the couple on their wedding performing at the funeral mass. The Bishop of Porto Don Manuel Linda dedicated the mass to Jota's three young children, Dinis, four, Duarte, two and seven-month-old Mafalda, who did not attend the hour-long service. Bishop Linda addressed them directly to assure them they would be loved and supported following the loss of their dad. He said: 'Dear Dinis, Duarte and Mafalda, you don't know who I am and I don't know you personally either. 'But I know that, at this moment, you are suffering immensely - or maybe not - because you don't even realise the tragedy that has befallen your family. 'You will become aware of it later and it will be terrible but I will pray a lot for you. Wimbledon star wears black ribbon in poignant tribute to Diogo Jota as SW19 chiefs relax strict dress code 'Rute is heartbroken and so are your grandparents Isabel and Joaquim and other members of your family. 'When it is not just one coffin but the coffins of two brothers there are no words.' Portugal's head coach Roberto Martinez spoke outside the church after the ceremony and said it was 'essential' for Portugal to show 'we are together,' adding the brothers' spirits will be 'with us forever'. He said: 'So thank you very much for your messages and for your support and everything that we receive [from] all over the world. 'Today we are all one football family.' 13 13 13 13 13 Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk and defender Andy Robertson led virtually the entire Reds squad carrying wreaths emblazoned with Diogo's number 20 and André's number 30. Team coach Arne Slot joined the black-suited group along with stars including Joe Gomez, Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister, Ibrahima Konate, Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones. They were joined by former teammates James Milner and Jordan Henderson. The Kop club will remain in mourning after putting back planned pre-season training schedules while players and coaching staff recover from their loss. The service was private but a live audio feed was played outside the church and players and the funeral cortege were greeted by warm applause in bright sunshine. Jota, along with André - a player for Portuguese second tier club Penafiel - when his Lamborghini crashed on the A52 highway in Zamora province, northern Spain. The £210,000 Huracan supercar - capable of 199mph - suffered a suspected tyre blowout. They were en route to the Spanish port city of Santander to catch a ferry to the UK after Portugal star Jota was urged not to travel by plane following lung surgery. Renato Veiga of Chelsea; Wolves' Nelson Semedo, former Liverpool player Fabinho, Porto FC president Andre Villas-Boas also attended yesterday.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Cristiano Ronaldo's 'message to Diogo Jota's wife and parents' after the Liverpool star's tragic death - before missing Portugal team-mate's funeral
Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly told Diogo Jota's wife that he will always be there for them following the Liverpool star's tragic death. The Portugal legend is said to have spoken with Rute Cardoso as well as Jota's parents to assure the family of his support. That's according to Portuguese outlet Record, who also claim he told the family he would stay away from the joint funeral of Jota and brother Andre Silva to avoid causing a media circus. Ronaldo's absence from the joint funeral of Jota and his footballer brother Andre was causing shockwaves in their homeland on Saturday. Portugal's most capped player and team captain was expected to fly to Gondomar near Porto to pay his last respects alongside Jota's club and country team-mates at a wake on Friday and the funeral mass this morning. But the 40-year-old dad-of-three was a no-show at both - with a leading Majorcan newspaper saying he was holidaying on the island and had been spotted in two upmarket destinations on board his £5.5million 88-feet long Azimut Grande yacht, which boasts five luxury cabins and six bathrooms. Liverpool team-mates, Manchester City 's Bernardo Silva and Manchester United full back Diogo Dalot, both Portuguese national team players, were among the footballers who packed into the church on Saturday morning - the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar. Portugal internationals Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves, seen in tears on Friday night before their Club World Cup clash in Orlando, also made it to the church on time along with Portugal manager Roberto Martinez who has been in the States as a member of the FIFA Club World Cup Technical Study Group. Portuguese journalist Antonio Ribeiro Cristovao said shortly before the mass began: 'He is the captain of the Portugal squad. Many expected he would attend. 'Diogo Jota was part of the team. Maybe there are some reasons we don't know. 'If he doesn't attend, he has to explain the reason. He has that responsibility. He is the captain.' Sports journalist and commentator Luis Cristovao called his absence 'inexplicable' as the funeral mass got underway without Ronaldo, saying: 'Being inexplicable, any justification will fall short of the shortcoming he committed with his absence.' And TV sports commentator Pedro Fatela, added of the Al-Nassr striker's no-show: 'This absence will be much discussed. There must be justifications in the coming days. 'We will know why Cristiano wasn't able to travel to Gondomar to be present in this moment, but he is the captain. Liverpool stars Jordan Henderson, Alexis Mac Allister and James Milner leave the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar 'All of us were expecting, as all coaches and players were there, to have the captain side by side with his teammates.' A football fan commenting on Ronaldo's no-show on X said: 'For Cristiano Ronaldo not to interrupt his holidays to appear at the funeral is something inadmissible as a friend and as Portugal's captain. It was the least he should have done.' Referencing Ronaldo's emotional Instagram post after he learned about Diogo and brother Andre Silva's car crash deaths on the A-52 highway near Zamora close to Spain's north-west border with Portugal in the early hours of Thursday morning, he added: 'It's not just messages on social media that count, it's not just money that counts.' Another Portuguese X user called Flavia, hinting Ronaldo must have decided he didn't want to be the focus of fans and well-wishers and detract from the funeral by attending, said: 'People are already criticising Cristiano Ronaldo for not showing up at the wake and funeral. 'Folks, I don't know if you realise what Cristiano Ronaldo means to Gondomar. 'I understand it would be good for our captain to attend the funeral but we can't forget who Ronaldo is. 'I understand why he doesn't show up.' A follower responding to her message agreed saying: 'The problem is a lot of people have no respect and would have gone to have a chance of seeing Ronaldo and not for Diogo.' Local reports Ronaldo had been spotted on his luxury yacht in Majorca first emerged yesterday evening on the eve of the funerals. He posted an emotional tribute to the Liverpool winger and his footballer brother Andre Silva when he learned they had died in the early hours of Thursday after crashing in a 200mph £180,000 Lamborghini Huracan following a suspected tyre blowout. The siblings were on their way to the Spanish port city of Santander so Diogo, who had been advised against air travel following lung surgery, could take a ferry to the UK and head on to Liverpool. Reporting former Manchester United frontman Ronaldo had been spotted relaxing in the Balearic Islands, respected Majorcan newspaper Ultima Hora said late on Friday: 'Cristiano Ronaldo has chosen Majorca again as a destination to enjoy his summer vacation.' It went on to report the Portuguese star had been seen in the upmarket resort of Illetes on Majorca's south-west coastline and the port of Andratx on board his £5.5m yacht. And it added: 'Although on this occasion he hasn't been seen outside of his yacht, it's normal for the footballer to take advantage of his stay on the island to train, go to high-class restaurants and enjoy family life.' Ronaldo last holidayed in Majorca with his family three years ago. An employee of the footballer's, thought to have been one of his bodyguards, was injured during the break when the sports car he was driving came off the road and smashed into a stone wall protecting a house near Ronaldo's holiday home. The Bugatti he crashed was one of two cars the former Manchester United frontman had ferried over to the Spanish island for his sunshine break. Ronaldo was reportedly in another vehicle in a small convoy with his loved ones when his employee came off the road after they left their rented family home for a day out. He was said at the time to have ordered other staff to remain at the scene while they continued their journey. Virgil Van Dijk, who held a flower arrangement in the shape of Diogo's shirt with the number 20 and Andy Robertson, who carried a red shirt bearing Andre's number 30 The badly-damaged Bugatti was later driven away on a tow-truck under a blue tarpaulin. The owner of the Majorcan house hit by Cristiano Ronaldo's sports car subsequently said he had pledged to pay for the damage. The unnamed homeowner revealed he was promised compensation after turning up at his rented mansion to try to speak to him. In his Instagram tribute to newly-married Diogo and his brother Ronaldo said: 'Doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married. 'To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre We will all miss you.' Diogo Jota's long-time agent Jorge Mendes attended yesterday's wake after travelling to Spain to spend time with the footballer's heartbroken loved ones including his widow Rute Cardoso, mum to their three children, while they tried to repatriate his body.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Cristiano Ronaldo's heartbreaking reason he did not attend Diogo Jota's funeral
The Liverpool forward was laid to rest alongside his brother Andre Silva at a church in Gondomar, near the Portuguese city of Porto. Cristiano Ronaldo was not in attendance at the funeral of Diogo Jota on Saturday morning as he didn't want to overshadow his teammates final farewell. The Liverpool forward was laid to rest alongside his brother Andre Silva at a church in Gondomar, near the Portuguese city of Porto after the pair tragically died alongside each other in a horror car crash in Spain. Jota's Liverpool teammates and players from the Portugal national team, as well as former teammates from Wolves were all among mourners who travelled to Portugal to pay their respects. As the Mirror reports, Reds captain Virgil van Dijk and Scotland captain Andy Robertson were seen carrying red floral tributes into the church. Portugal stars Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and best pal Ruben Neves were also present inside the Chapel of Resurrection. Neves, who starred alongside Jota for Wolves and Portugal helped carry the coffin into the church, having flown over from the United States after playing at the Club World Cup less than 24 hours earlier. However, one notable absentee, was Ronald who is Portugal captain. Mirror football understands Ronald was wary of his presence in the tiny town of Gondomar overshadowing the day. He has reportedly been keeping a low profile in recent days, surrounded by his family. Ronaldo was quick to pay an emotional tribute to Jota on social media after the tragic news broke of his death on Thursday. The world superstar wrote: "It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just 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." Van Dijk and Robertson were joined by fellow Liverpool stars Curtis Jones, Alexis MacAllister, Harvey Elliott, Watura Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and manager Arne Slot. Ex-Liverpool players in Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson and James Milner were also present. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Jota and his brother died after the Lamborghini they were travelling in spun off the road in north west Spain and caught fire in the early hours of Thursday morning. The funeral followed a private wake on Friday, which was attended by Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who he married last month, and the player's family. Reacting to the heartbreaking news, the Portuguese Football Federation said in a statement: 'Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his team-mates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community. 'On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players. 'We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day.'
