Latest news with #Gondomar
The Independent
an hour ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Family and friends gather at Diogo Jota's wake as queue forms outside chapel
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.
RNZ News
an hour ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Liverpool's Jota mourned by family and local people at hometown wake
People queue outside the funeral chapel for the public wake of Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto, on July 4, 2025. Photo: MIGUEL RIOPA Hundreds of residents of Gondomar in northern Portugal have filed past the bodies of former Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at a chapel in their hometown, after their deaths in a car crash in Spain. At an earlier private wake, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, FC Porto president Andre Villas-Boas, Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca and Jota's longtime agent Jorge Mendes joined the brothers' family including Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who had married the footballer just weeks earlier. "It is a moment of great pain for the family, who are left anchored to this tragic accident," Proenca said as he left the wake. "Diogo was an icon for the talent that Portuguese football represents and for its ability to generate unity around a person." The brothers were believed to be driving to a ferry in Spain to travel to the UK when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames after midnight on Thursday. Police said they suspected a tyre had burst. Silva was also a footballer, with Penafiel in the Portuguese second division. Their funeral is expected to take place on Saturday at a nearby church at 10am local time, the office of Gondomar's mayor said. The death of forward Jota at the age of 28 has jolted the world of football, with tributes pouring in from former teammates, clubs, national leaders and fans. "Diogo was a silent hero for everything he represented on and off the pitch," Villas-Boas said as he left the wake. "These are tragic days, days for reflection, and may the memory of these two athletes, these two great men, live on," the former Chelsea manager added. Outside Liverpool's Anfield stadium fans left flowers, scarves and handwritten notes, many from children. Well-wishers leave flowers, scarves and shirts at a memorial set up close to Anfield football ground for their Portuguese forward Diogo Jota in Liverpool, north-west England 4 July, 2025. Photo: MARK NAFTALIN "I never thought there would be something that would frighten me off going back to Liverpool after the (summer) break," Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah said on Instagram. "Teammates 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," he added. Football clubs including Paris St Germain - who have several Portugal internationals in their squad - Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid observed a moment of silence during training for their matches at the Club World Cup in the United States. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said on Thursday that forward Pedro Neto was weighing up whether to play in Friday's quarter-final against Palmeiras, as the Portuguese international mourned the tragic death of his close friend. Jota's manager at Liverpool, Arne Slot, said in a statement on Thursday that his thoughts were with his family. "My message to them is very clear ... you will never walk alone," Slot said, using the words of the team's anthem. "For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player, he was a loved one to all of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special," the Dutchman added. In Gondomar, a town of about 160,000 people in the Porto metropolitan area that is known for artisanal gold and filigree jewellery, residents were struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of a local hero. At the Diogo Jota Academy in Gondomar, whose motto is "It's not important where we come from, but where we are going", people placed candles and flowers, as well as scarves and shirts from the clubs he played for and from the Portuguese national team in tribute to the player. Jota opened the academy in 2022 for children aged six to nine at the Gondomar Football Club where he himself played for 10 years as a child. It was at Gondomar's high school that he met his wife. They began dating aged 15 when in the same class and she became a pillar in his life. When they were 19, they moved to Madrid together, when Jota was transferred from the small Portuguese club Pacos de Ferreira to Atletico Madrid. "Besides being his girlfriend and best friend, I'm his number one fan," Cardoso told the newspaper 'A Bola' at the time. Jota was making his way back to Liverpool by car after he was told he should avoid plane travel for up to six weeks following lung surgery to address a fractured rib, his physiotherapist Miguel Goncalves told broadcaster Now late on Thursday. Goncalves said Jota was recovering well from the pneumothorax surgery and that he had planned to take a ferry to the UK from Spain. - Reuters
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Sky News
Diogo Jota's family and Liverpool staff attend wake ahead of funeral
22:09:17 We're pausing our live coverage We will be resuming our updates tomorrow, when the funeral for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva takes place. Here's a recap of what's happened today... Family mourns alongside fans at wake Jota and Silva's wake took place at a church in their hometown of Gondomar this afternoon. The wake was initially private and attended by the brothers' families, including Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who he married less than two weeks before his death. Staff from Liverpool FC, and former teammates of both Jota and Silva, were also seen arriving. The doors of the chapel were later opened to members of the public, who queued around the square to say their final goodbyes. Funeral details announced The brothers' funeral is scheduled for 9am tomorrow, Gondomar's mayor's office said. Some Liverpool players and staff are expected to attend. More tributes pour in Liverpool forward Mo Salah and ex-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho were among those who today shared moving tributes to Jota and Silva. At Anfield, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was seen wiping away tears as he placed a floral tribute outside the stadium. 21:44:32 The main emotion was disbelief as hundreds said a final goodbye By Tyrone Francis, sports producer in Gondomar A steady flow of hundreds, possibly a thousand, people queued patiently in over 30-degree heat to pay their respects at the Capela da Ressurreicao. The small, unassuming white building, symbolic of this close-knit community, saw famous figures and members of the public alike say a final goodbye to Diogo Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva. Their wooden coffins were positioned a metre apart, side-by-side in the centre of a dimly-lit square room. The hall had three walls lined with pews, full with people, reflecting on the lives of the two footballers, aged just 28 and 25. Quiet sobs and the movement of single sheets of paper being used as fans to keep cool were the only noises audible in the room. Emotions were sombre and visitors wiped the tears that trickled down their cheeks. But the main emotion was one of disbelief that two skilful footballers - with their whole careers ahead of them – are gone way too early. The caskets, surrounded by wreaths and draped in white roses, were the central focus of everyone's attention. No one cared who else was in the room, people cried, people reflected and people prayed with their heads bowed down. Footballers Bernardo Silva, Fabinho and Thiago Alcântara were in the room at the time. But the most poignant image will be that of Diogo Jota's wife, who sat on the floor in between the two coffins, a place she had been since arriving in the early hours of the morning. The queues continued outside where two books of condolence had been set up for mourners to pen their tributes. As bells at the neighbouring church, where tomorrow's funeral service will be held, ring on the hour, every hour, this community remembers two talents, the humble guys who represented them on the grass pitch of the world's biggest stage. 20:41:01 Mourinho reflects on Jota's career Jose Mourinho, who shared an agent with Jota, is the latest figure from the footballing world to pay tribute to the Liverpool star. Speaking to Sky Sports News, he said: "Nothing was easy for him, he had to fight to arrive where he arrived. "He was not chasing protagonism, protagonism found him because of his talent." The Portuguese manager, who was speaking at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, added: "When people leave this world, normally we all say 'such a nice guy'. Diogo was really a nice guy." 20:02:01 Mourners bring flowers to public wake A long line of mourners formed outside the Portuguese chapel where the wake took place. Initially held in private for family, it later opened up to the public, with hundreds queuing around the 17th-century church. Many people brought flowers and some wore Liverpool tops. 19:24:01 'It's unbearable' for Jota's parents, says former Premier League manager Former Chelsea and Spurs boss Andre Villa-Boas has spoken to Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris outside the wake. Villa-Boas is now the president of Portuguese club Porto, where Andre Silva – who died with his brother in the crash on Thursday – played at youth level. "There's nothing that can overcome the pain of the family," Villa-Boas said. "To a father, to a mother, it's unbearable." Villa-Boas said Jota and Andre were perfect examples of "what a professional [footballer] should be". Addressing the outpouring of tributes from the brothers' local community, Villa-Boas added: "This is something those two boys deserve." 18:43:37 Liverpool staff arrive to pay their respects Liverpool executives and backroom staff have travelled to the church where the wake is being held. The club's CEO, Billy Hogan, and technical director, Julian Ward, are among those who are there to pay their respects. The men all wore black as they made their way to the wake. As we reported earlier (see our 17.27 post), several Liverpool players and staff are expected at Jota's funeral tomorrow. 18:24:02 Portuguese president joins Jota's family and footballers at wake Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has joined the family of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre at a wake for the two footballers. The president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Provenza, was also seen at the church in Gondomar, where the pair's bodies have been taken. A number of footballers are also there to pay their respects. These include Jota's former Wolves and Portugal teammate Joao Moutinho and Nottingham Forest's Jota Silva. 18:07:48 Minute's silence held at Women's Euros Tributes to Jota are continuing at the Women's Euros tournament in Switzerland. Players from Denmark and Sweden observed a minute of silence shortly before their match in Geneva kicked off this evening. It comes after Spain and Portugal honoured Jota before their game last night. 17:27:28 Liverpool players to attend Jota's funeral – reports Several Liverpool players and staff are expected at Jota's funeral tomorrow, according to The Athletic and Portuguese media. It is believed a flight to Portugal has been chartered by the club, although no arrangements have been confirmed so far. Some players had been due back at the side's training facilities to begin the preliminaries of pre-season testing today. But the phased return was postponed while those at the club come to terms with Jota's death.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Such a kind kid': former neighbours and all Portugal grieve for Diogo Jota
Ana Oliveira can barely get through a sentence before breaking down in tears. She has lived most of her life across the street from Diogo Jota's family home in Gondomar, a town a short drive east of Porto. The sorrow that has engulfed the country since the Liverpool forward's death is felt particularly acutely there. Ana can still picture Diogo clearly as a boy, dropping his backpack after school and spending hours kicking a ball against the wall of his house. His younger brother, André Silva – who perished in the same car crash in north-west Spain on Thursday – quickly followed in his footsteps, sharing his love for the game. The brothers would often invite Ana's brother, ngelo, for a quick match in the street before dinner. 'The family came from very humble beginnings,' Ana says, her voice trembling. 'Diogo was always such a kind kid – the ball never left his feet. 'But even with all that passion for football, he was an excellent student. His mother always reminded him to stay focused in school, and he took it seriously. He knew that not everyone makes it in football.' News of Jota's death sent shock waves through Gondomar, where the brothers were raised. But the grief spread far beyond the city limits. Jota was a core member of the Portugal national team, earning 49 caps and scoring 14 goals. Known for his quick wit, grounded personality and love for family, he became a fan favourite. Those who knew him speak of his humility and generous heart. In the early hours of Thursday, Ana began receiving messages from friends and colleagues – people who knew of her close ties to the Jota family – asking if the heartbreaking rumours were true. 'A lot of people messaged me asking if it was fake news,' she says. 'It wasn't. We knew by sunrise. It's an unimaginable tragedy. Just days ago, he got married in a beautiful ceremony. He has three children: one is five, the other three and the baby is only nine months old. One moment you have everything and in the blink of an eye it's all gone. As a mother myself, I still don't have the courage to write to his mum. I just don't have the words.' Thursday was meant to be a historic day for the Portuguese media. For the first time since the country's return to democracy, a former prime minister was facing trial on corruption charges. Every major outlet was covering the landmark event, which was expected to be the story of the week, if not the year. Dozens of reporters were stationed outside the courthouse in Lisbon. But that story all but disappeared when the death of the Liverpool player was confirmed. Politicians, football clubs and public figures rushed to express their sorrow. 'More than dismay, it's a shock,' said the president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in an impromptu press conference outside his official residence. 'It's a shock because a 28-year-old man dies, and his brother André dies with him. He was living a very happy moment in his family life and he was progressing as an exceptional footballer, both internationally and with the national team. He had his whole future ahead of him. We expect the elderly to leave us – not the young.' The president recalled the last time he embraced the player: a hug shared after Portugal's win over Spain in the Nations League final. 'None of us imagined it would be the last hug. Him, myself, all of us – we thought it would be just one of many more to come, for all the success we believed he still had ahead of him.' In the quiet village where Diogo's grandparents lived, 82-year-old Cosme Silva is struggling to find the right words. A former football coach, Cosme once managed Diogo's father in a local team. He says the father's discipline and humility were passed down to both sons. 'They're such good people. Always generous, always willing to help. It's like I always say: the good ones go, and the rest stay. Diogo was a great student, from a family of footballers. His uncle Jorge was also talented – though with a bit of a temper.' He ends his sentence with a chuckle. The success and money that came with Jota's move to England never changed him, Cosme says: 'He stayed grounded. The fame never went to his head.' Ana Oliveira agrees. 'He was always trying to help. He sent boots to my brother. If you needed something, it might take some time but he always came through.' On Saturday morning Diogo and André will be buried in Gondomar. Family and friends will be present but really all of Portugal will be there, united in grief, to give one final goodbye.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Sky News
As it happened: Diogo Jota's family and Liverpool staff attend wake ahead of funeral
22:09:17 We're pausing our live coverage We will be resuming our updates tomorrow, when the funeral for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva takes place. Here's a recap of what's happened today... Family mourns alongside fans at wake Jota and Silva's wake took place at a church in their hometown of Gondomar this afternoon. The wake was initially private and attended by the brothers' families, including Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who he married less than two weeks before his death. Staff from Liverpool FC, and former teammates of both Jota and Silva, were also seen arriving. The doors of the chapel were later opened to members of the public, who queued around the square to say their final goodbyes. Funeral details announced The brothers' funeral is scheduled for 9am tomorrow, Gondomar's mayor's office said. Some Liverpool players and staff are expected to attend. More tributes pour in Liverpool forward Mo Salah and ex-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho were among those who today shared moving tributes to Jota and Silva. At Anfield, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was seen wiping away tears as he placed a floral tribute outside the stadium. 21:44:32 The main emotion was disbelief as hundreds said a final goodbye By Tyrone Francis, sports producer in Gondomar A steady flow of hundreds, possibly a thousand, people queued patiently in over 30-degree heat to pay their respects at the Capela da Ressurreicao. The small, unassuming white building, symbolic of this close-knit community, saw famous figures and members of the public alike say a final goodbye to Diogo Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva. Their wooden coffins were positioned a metre apart, side-by-side in the centre of a dimly-lit square room. The hall had three walls lined with pews, full with people, reflecting on the lives of the two footballers, aged just 28 and 25. Quiet sobs and the movement of single sheets of paper being used as fans to keep cool were the only noises audible in the room. Emotions were sombre and visitors wiped the tears that trickled down their cheeks. But the main emotion was one of disbelief that two skilful footballers - with their whole careers ahead of them – are gone way too early. The caskets, surrounded by wreaths and draped in white roses, were the central focus of everyone's attention. No one cared who else was in the room, people cried, people reflected and people prayed with their heads bowed down. Footballers Bernardo Silva, Fabinho and Thiago Alcântara were in the room at the time. But the most poignant image will be that of Diogo Jota's wife, who sat on the floor in between the two coffins, a place she had been since arriving in the early hours of the morning. The queues continued outside where two books of condolence had been set up for mourners to pen their tributes. As bells at the neighbouring church, where tomorrow's funeral service will be held, ring on the hour, every hour, this community remembers two talents, the humble guys who represented them on the grass pitch of the world's biggest stage. 20:41:01 Mourinho reflects on Jota's career Jose Mourinho, who shared an agent with Jota, is the latest figure from the footballing world to pay tribute to the Liverpool star. Speaking to Sky Sports News, he said: "Nothing was easy for him, he had to fight to arrive where he arrived. "He was not chasing protagonism, protagonism found him because of his talent." The Portuguese manager, who was speaking at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, added: "When people leave this world, normally we all say 'such a nice guy'. Diogo was really a nice guy." 20:02:01 Mourners bring flowers to public wake A long line of mourners formed outside the Portuguese chapel where the wake took place. Initially held in private for family, it later opened up to the public, with hundreds queuing around the 17th-century church. Many people brought flowers and some wore Liverpool tops. 19:24:01 'It's unbearable' for Jota's parents, says former Premier League manager Former Chelsea and Spurs boss Andre Villa-Boas has spoken to Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris outside the wake. Villa-Boas is now the president of Portuguese club Porto, where Andre Silva – who died with his brother in the crash on Thursday – played at youth level. "There's nothing that can overcome the pain of the family," Villa-Boas said. "To a father, to a mother, it's unbearable." Villa-Boas said Jota and Andre were perfect examples of "what a professional [footballer] should be". Addressing the outpouring of tributes from the brothers' local community, Villa-Boas added: "This is something those two boys deserve." 18:43:37 Liverpool staff arrive to pay their respects Liverpool executives and backroom staff have travelled to the church where the wake is being held. The club's CEO, Billy Hogan, and technical director, Julian Ward, are among those who are there to pay their respects. The men all wore black as they made their way to the wake. As we reported earlier (see our 17.27 post), several Liverpool players and staff are expected at Jota's funeral tomorrow. 18:24:02 Portuguese president joins Jota's family and footballers at wake Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has joined the family of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre at a wake for the two footballers. The president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Provenza, was also seen at the church in Gondomar, where the pair's bodies have been taken. A number of footballers are also there to pay their respects. These include Jota's former Wolves and Portugal teammate Joao Moutinho and Nottingham Forest's Jota Silva. 18:07:48 Minute's silence held at Women's Euros Tributes to Jota are continuing at the Women's Euros tournament in Switzerland. Players from Denmark and Sweden observed a minute of silence shortly before their match in Geneva kicked off this evening. It comes after Spain and Portugal honoured Jota before their game last night. 17:27:28 Liverpool players to attend Jota's funeral – reports Several Liverpool players and staff are expected at Jota's funeral tomorrow, according to The Athletic and Portuguese media. It is believed a flight to Portugal has been chartered by the club, although no arrangements have been confirmed so far. Some players had been due back at the side's training facilities to begin the preliminaries of pre-season testing today. But the phased return was postponed while those at the club come to terms with Jota's death.
