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BBC News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Diogo had a glorious life'
Tributes to Diogo Jota have been lining the streets outside Anfield all is little to say that hasn't already been said or shown by the football world. Players, clubs, associations, media and fans of all teams and nations underlined how much they felt about these young men. They were more than just famous people; they were considered friends, even if you had never met as a club have yet another tragedy to deal with, and there is little positive to say when losing someone so young. However, Diogo had a glorious life and made many people so happy in the short time he was here, though this will be of minimal relief to his wife, children, parents and other close family members just thoughts are with him and them all just now and will be for many football never forgets those it loses young, so help will be at hand whenever they need up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer pauses show to pay emotional tribute to late footballer Diogo Jota following his tragic death age 28
Sunday Brunch hosts Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy paid tribute to the late Diogo Jota on the latest episode of their Channel 4 show this weekend, following the footballer's tragic death aged 28. Liverpool forward, Diogo, died on Wednesday after his Lamborghini careered off a road in northern Spain - just two weeks after he married his childhood sweetheart. In the opening moments Tim told viewers: 'Before we get on with the show, there has been some really tragic news this week about Diogo Jota, and being a Liverpool fan..'. To which Simon said: 'It's shocking. [show guest Peter Hooton] and I were talking in makeup. A human tragedy, a 28-year-old man, who has just got married and had two young children. I think the way in which the football community has come together is very very powerful'. The Farm frontman Peter went on: 'The way people have rallied round. It's an absolutely devastating thing for everyone, for the family, for Liverpool fans and just football in general'. Before adding: 'You can see that with the Club World Cup, with all the tributes in America' before the entire studio paid tribute to Diogo's family. Jota's untimely death sent shockwaves through the footballing world and fans have gathered in their hundreds to lay and pay tribute to the 28-year-old. The tragedy came just days after Jota married his new wife Rute Cardoso - who he shares three young children with - on June 22. Jota played 182 games for Liverpool and was part of the Premier League title-winning squad from last season under Arne Slot. One group of fans gathered to sing Liverpool's traditional 'You'll Never Walk Alone' song, while another striking image showed two men - one in a Liverpool shirt and one an Everton shirt - walking with flowers to lay them down. Diogo's friend, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, wiped away tears as he laid flowers and a scarf outside Anfield. Doctors had reportedly advised Jota not to catch a plane after a recent operation, so he was getting a boat back to England instead. A Brittany Ferries service from Santander to Plymouth left at 4pm BST on Thursday, arriving in Devon at 11.15am on Friday. According to Record, Jota and his new wife Rute had attended a friend's wedding over the weekend and had been celebrating together. The Lamborghini crash happened on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The Spanish dual carriageway is a key route taken by drivers after leaving northern Portugal as they head for the ports of Santander and Bilbao or drive north-east towards France. Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash and two fatalities at around 12.35am on Thursday. Diogo and Andre's deaths were then confirmed by the Portuguese Football Federation at around 8am. Wreckage at the scene suggested the brothers were driving to the UK in a Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder. On Friday, hundreds of mourners lined the streets of Gondomar to pay their final respects to Jota at the city's chapel. Fans snaked around the Portuguese principality as the tearful crowd queued to honour the Premier League hero before his funeral tomorrow. Mourners sobbed and carried roses and national team scarves in homage to Jota, who won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal less than a month ago. Aerial footage showed queues stretching from the small chapel, around the corner to the nearby church where his funeral will be held. Diogo Jota's heartbroken wife and parents gathered at a wake and held a vigil at the coffins of the former Wolves striker and his brother Andre as the world of football mourns their deaths. The town overlooking Porto is where the couple met and started dating as teenagers. They married less than two weeks ago and have three young children. Diogo and Andre's mother Isabel, father Joaquim and their grandfather were emotional on arriving at the chapel. Joaquim hugged several people and was supported by his brother and later raised a hand to mourners as he left with his wife. They returned around an hour later. Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro also attended the wake along with Diogo's agent Jorge Mendes. The President of Portugal, Marcelo de Sousa, came later. The wake is underway on Friday afternoon ahead of funeral mass in the neighbouring church - the Igrega Matriz de Gondomar - at 10am on Saturday. Liverpool are due to start pre-season training on Monday, so Jota was heading back to the UK on a road trip. A Brittany Ferries service from Santander to Plymouth left at 4pm on Thursday, arriving in Devon at 11.15am on Friday. The football club said in a statement that they were 'devastated' by the tragedy and that Diogo's family, friends and fans had suffered an 'unimaginable loss'. Flowers and tributes have been laid outside Anfield by supporters in tears. Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He also played for Portugal's national team and helped them win the Nations League last month. His younger brother played for Penafiel, in the second tier of Portuguese football. Taking to Instagram, she wrote: 'When my father died, in addition to the pain of loss, we had to deal with a flood of cameras and curious onlookers at the cemetery and everywhere we went. 'And attention was not what it is today in terms of access... At no time were we (the children) able to leave the chapel; it was only possible at the time of the burial, such was the commotion. 'At the funeral, there were presidents, coaches of the national team at the time, such as Luís Filipe Scolari, etc. I don't remember seeing any of them. And they certainly greeted me. The pain blinded me. 'About pain/family and real support... You will never know what it means until you go through it. If someone sends me a message criticising anything my brother does, I will block it (completely ignore it), that is, they will only do it once. 'It's getting tiring. The fanaticism. The criticism for nothing, I repeat nothing... Sick society... We all have families. 'It is absurdly shameful to watch TV channels/commentators/social networks emphasising an absence (wise) rather than respectfully honouring the pain of a mutilated family destroyed by the loss of two brothers. I am even ashamed to watch. Regrettable. 'And so the world goes... Society and opinion. Today they are worthless. They themselves have become bottomless pits. I feel sorry... And war is also like that. Believe me. Human evil is also a war. And every day we have to fight against it. And so it goes.' Support from his sister comes after Ronaldo shared an emotional tribute of his own to Jota on social media following his passing. He 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.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Trent Alexander-Arnold pays tribute to ‘amazing man' Diogo Jota
Trent Alexander-Arnold has described his former Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota as 'someone who lit up a room'. Liverpool forward Jota died along with his brother, Andre Silva, following a car accident in Spain on Thursday. Advertisement Alexander-Arnold is currently at the Club World Cup in the United States with new side Real Madrid having left Anfield at the end of their title-winning 2024-25 season. Speaking after Real's quarter-final victory over Borussia Dortmund in New York on Saturday, Alexander-Arnold told DAZN: 'Some things are bigger than the game. 'It has been difficult but it's been very emotional, very heart-warming to see the footballing world uniting and come together to show their love and support to him and his family, and obviously his brother as well. 'So although it's been difficult, it's also been a nice showing out from everyone, all clubs, all people, uniting and showing love and support for what must be a mind-blowingly hard time for the family. Advertisement 'I've been in and around him and his brother, his family, his amazing wife, his parents, his amazing three children. Alexander-Arnold says the memory of his close friend Jota will live on (Peter Byrne/PA) 'It's truly, truly heartbreaking to wake up to news like that. It's something that you would never, ever expect. 'He was a very close friend, someone who lit up a room when he was in it. I shared the dressing room (with him) for five years (and have) amazing memories on and off the pitch with him. 'It goes without saying he will never be forgotten by anyone. He will live long in all our memories for the amazing man and player he was.'
The Independent
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Trent Alexander-Arnold pays tribute to ‘amazing man' Diogo Jota
Trent Alexander-Arnold has described his former Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota as 'someone who lit up a room'. Liverpool forward Jota died along with his brother, Andre Silva, following a car accident in Spain on Thursday. Alexander-Arnold is currently at the Club World Cup in the United States with new side Real Madrid having left Anfield at the end of their title-winning 2024-25 season. Speaking after Real's quarter-final victory over Borussia Dortmund in New York on Saturday, Alexander-Arnold told DAZN: 'Some things are bigger than the game. 'It has been difficult but it's been very emotional, very heart-warming to see the footballing world uniting and come together to show their love and support to him and his family, and obviously his brother as well. 'So although it's been difficult, it's also been a nice showing out from everyone, all clubs, all people, uniting and showing love and support for what must be a mind-blowingly hard time for the family. 'I've been in and around him and his brother, his family, his amazing wife, his parents, his amazing three children. 'It's truly, truly heartbreaking to wake up to news like that. It's something that you would never, ever expect. 'He was a very close friend, someone who lit up a room when he was in it. I shared the dressing room (with him) for five years (and have) amazing memories on and off the pitch with him. 'It goes without saying he will never be forgotten by anyone. He will live long in all our memories for the amazing man and player he was.'
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Conor Coady reflects on Jota's legacy at Wolves and Liverpool
Conor Coady's Heartfelt Tribute to Jota: A Bond Beyond the Pitch Shared Success at Wolves There are moments in football when the game itself becomes secondary. When the statistics, the goals, the league tables—all pale next to the human stories behind them. Conor Coady's tribute to Diogo Jota is one of those moments. Advertisement Coady and Jota forged a connection at Wolverhampton Wanderers that transcended the usual dynamics of a football dressing room. Together, they rose through the ranks—Championship to Premier League, Premier League to Europe. But as Coady tells it, the true story wasn't written in goals or appearances, but in the character of the man he shared those moments with. 'He was the heart and soul of the dressing room,' Coady said. 'He had a quiet way of going about himself. But you knew you could go to him about anything.' Jota's Character Left a Lasting Mark Jota's recent passing in a tragic car crash sent shockwaves across the football world. Yet for those who knew him—truly knew him—the grief goes beyond headlines. Coady's words, delivered via BBC Sport, were raw, unscripted, and full of admiration. Advertisement 'This has hit everybody hard,' he said. 'And it will hit everybody hard for a long, long time because Diogo was a fantastic human being, an amazing friend, an amazing husband, an amazing father and an absolute incredible footballer for all the clubs he has played for.' It wasn't just what Jota did on the pitch—it was how he carried himself. 'He was an unbelievable person,' Coady reflected. 'A dream to work with. But it was a pleasure to call him a friend.' From Wolves to Liverpool: Pride and Pain Jota's move to Liverpool was a moment of pride for Coady. Seeing a teammate thrive on the biggest stage affirmed everything he already believed about the Portuguese forward. Advertisement 'He took the Premier League by storm,' Coady said, recalling the goals, the hat tricks, and the unforgettable nights in the Europa League. 'For me as a captain, it was an honour and a dream to play with him.' Photo: IMAGO Jota's legacy isn't just etched in highlight reels. It's carried in memories—in the way he 'bought into the culture' at Wolves, bringing his childhood sweetheart to Wolverhampton and fully embracing a club still rebuilding its identity. An Enduring Example for Future Generations Coady made it clear that Jota's influence went beyond the touchline. He became a reference point—a blueprint—for how to approach the game with humility, bravery, and love. Advertisement 'I used to always tell young people they need to learn from players like Diogo and Ruben, who were brave enough to step into the Championship to help a club who were struggling at that time,' Coady said. 'He was such an example for everybody. I absolutely loved him.' There are players who leave an impression. And then there are players like Jota—whose absence feels as profound as his presence once did.
