OFFICIAL: 30 Minutes Ago, Liverpool Terminate Diogo Jota’s Contract — But Their Final Gesture Left His Wife and Children in Tears 💔⚽👨👩👧👦
In a stunning move, Liverpool officially ended Diogo Jota’s contract just days after his tragic passing. But what followed wasn’t just protocol — it was a deeply emotional tribute that left his grieving family in floods of tears, and reminded the world of the bond between a club and its fallen star.
Diogo Jota and Andre Silva will both be laid to rest in their home town of Gondomar, just two days after the recently-married Liverpool star and his younger brother tragically died in a car crash in northern Spain
The family of Diogo Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, will be joined by the tragic Liverpool striker’s team-mates, Premier League stars, Anfield chiefs and thousands of fans as they lay their sons to rest on Saturday morning.
The emotional ceremony, which begins at 10am, takes place in Gondomar, outside Porto, following Friday night’s wake and widespread tributes to the duo, who sadly died on Thursday.
The Premier League footballer and his younger brother both lost their lives in a devastating crash near Zamora close to Spain’s north-west border with Portugal. The tragic incident occurred just days after Jota’s marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso – who had to identify her husband and his brother after the crash.
Hundreds attended the wake at the Capela da Ressurreicao on Friday, with Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports’ CEO of Football Michael Edwards leading an LFC delegation. A number of Liverpool stars will be in attendance on Saturday, along with former Kop players Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho – as well as Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva – having all paid tribute on Friday.
Keep up with all the latest from Gondomar, as the footballing world comes together to pay tribute and say farewell to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva.
KEY EVENT
Ruben Neves’ heartbreaking tribute
Ruben Neves broke down in tears during the moment’s silence before Al Hilal’s game at the FIFA Club World Cup last night.
Both he and Joao Cancelo had to be consoled by team-mates.
Just an hour before the game, Neves posted a heartbreaking tribute to his close friend on social media. It read:
Ruben Neves, just an hour before playing for Al Hilal tonight, posted this on social media.
“Bro, wherever you are, I know you’ll read this, we’ve never been this sloppy and maybe now I regret it a little, but you know what you mean to me as much as I know what I mean to you.
“More than a friendship, we’re family, and we won’t stop being that just because you’ve decided to sign a contract a little further away from us. When I go to the national team, you will continue to be by my side at the dinner table, on the bus, on the plane… you will always be there with me, as usual.
“Let’s keep laughing, making plans, sharing our life with each other. I’m going to make sure you’re always present and I’ll make sure that your loved ones never lack anything while you’re there, far away but thinking of us, waiting for us.
“Life has brought us together and now it can’t tear us apart. We’ve achieved some great things together, we still have a lot to go, I know we can. From today on, you will enter the field with me and we will follow our path together, on the stage where we met.
“Diogoal, you are my favourite lemonade!! Amo-te.”
Ruben Neves wipes away tears during the tribute to Diogo Jota (
Image:
DAZN)
Ben Husband
Jota was married just weeks before his tragic death
In a story which is painful and heartbreaking in so many ways, the fact that he had married his long time partner Rute just days before is perhaps the most difficult to accept.
The pair had been together since their teens and have three children – two boys and one girl. They were married at the end of last month, revealing their beautiful pictures on social media at the start of this week.
Just one day before his tragic death, Jota shared a video of the ceremony with the caption ‘A Day We Will Never Forget’.
In another response to his wife, Jota said his ‘dream had come true’ in marrying his childhood sweetheart.
Truly devastating.
Ben Husband
Share your own personal tribute to Diogo Jota
Along with the hundreds set to be in attendance at Gondomar, and the thousands that have paid tributes both at Anfield and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ stadium Molineux, we know there are thousands more wanting to pay their respects.
The Mirror has opened an online book of condolensce where you can leave your own personal tribute, for free, to the Reds star. Click on the link below.
Share your personal tribute to Diogo Jota in our online book of condolence
KEY EVENT
Liverpool players arrive in Gondomar
A number of Jota’s heartbroken team-mates arrived in Portugal on Friday night, in preparation for today’s funeral. Among them, was captain Virgil van Dijk, former skipper Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson – who penned his own emotional tribute on social media – Darwin Nunez, and manager Arne Slot.
They will be joined by a further Liverpool contingent, including FSG’s Chief of Football Michael Edwards, and the Kop’s Sporting Director Richard Hughes.
KEY EVENT
Funeral Details
The funerals of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva will take place at 10am on Saturday morning in Gondomar, a half-hour drive inland from the northern Portuguese city of Porto.
On Friday afternoon the Liverpool forward’s wife Rute and family members attended a private wake at Sao Cosme Chapel with priest Jose Manuel Macedo set to oversee the funeral at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar catholic church.
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva was among the footballing stars who visited the wake to pay tribute to his ex-Portugal team-mate.
Bernardo Silva, the Manchester City captain, arrives at the public wake (
Image:
Getty Images)
Good MorningAlex Richards
Welcome everyone
Welcome all.
Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, will be laid to rest this morning following the tragic death of the pair on Thursday.
The pair were travelling in a Lamborghini near Zamora in Spain when it veered off the road and burst into flames, killing both before emergency services arrived.
Tributes have been flooding in following news of the tragedy and a wake in Gondomar, where the pair grew up, was attended by thousands of mourners on Friday – including a delegation from Liverpool.
Today’s funeral, starting this morning, is set to be similarly attended, both in the church and outside.
It promises to be another extremely emotional day.
People queuing outside the funeral chapel for the wake in Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto (
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
