Diogo Jota’s body will return to Portugal ahead of the Liverpool player’s funeral proceedings starting tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. The Portuguese international tragically died in a car crash alongside his brother, Andre Silva, while they were in Spain.
The incident took place in the early hours of Thursday morning, with the car they were traveling in reported to have veered off the road and ignited. Jota, his wife, and three children were left behind after the tragedy, which authorities suspect was caused by a burst tire. He married his wife less than two weeks ago.
The Daily Mail said that the bodies of Diogo and Andre are expected to depart a funeral home in Puebla de Sanabria, Spain, in the next few hours. The wake will begin on Friday afternoon in Sao Cosme, about a half-hour drive from his hometown of Porto in northern Portugal, according to local priest Jose Manuel Macedo.
The wake will take place before to the funeral service, which is set for Saturday morning in the same village where Jota married Rute, his childhood sweetheart, last month. The funeral service is set for Saturday morning. At the time of the accident, he had been heading back to the United Kingdom, traveling to the port city of Santander to catch a ferry, as he had been advised to avoid flying after undergoing lung surgery.
In a statement released on the Liverpool website, Reds boss Arne Slot reflected on their final conversation. He said: “The last time we spoke, I congratulated Diogo on winning the Nations League and wished him luck for his forthcoming wedding. In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this.”
“When I first came to the club, one of the first songs I got to know was the one that our fans sing for Diogo. Even though I had never worked with him before, I could tell right immediately that Diogo must possess special abilities if the Liverpool fans, who have witnessed so many outstanding players over the years, had such a distinctive chant for him.
In a social media message, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who signed Jota in 2020, expressed his sadness. He wrote: “This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it! I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre.
“Diogo was not only a fantastic player but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much! All my prayers, thoughts, and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends, and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace – Love J.”
