STANDING BY HER SIDE | Rute Cardoso, widow of late football star Diogo Jota, marked a deeply emotional milestone — and was met with an outpouring of love from Natalia Becker and Julia Vigas.

Friends say the moment “brought back everything” — the memories, the loss, the silence that followed.
But it’s what Rute quietly wrote at the end of her post that’s breaking hearts across the football world… 💬

Diogo Jota’s widow supported as she marks special occasion

Rute Cardoso received messages of support from Natalia Becker and Julia Vigas after the message

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Rute Cardoso shared the message on Instagram last night(Image: Getty Images)

Diogo Jota’s widow Rute Cardoso has been flooded with support as she marked an emotional occasion. The mum-of-three was in a long term relationship with the late Liverpool FC forward before his tragic death in July.

Rute has taken to social media last night to mark an occasion important to her as she shared a photo of a star shining bright in the sky. She captioned the post: “October 22 2012.” She captioned the photo with a white heart, which she has regularly used in tributes to remember her relationship with the forever number 20.

In her first public post after Jota’s death in July, she reflected on their wedding day the month before. On July 22, she shared pictures of the couple dancing at their wedding and a close-up of them holding hands.

She said: “One month of our ‘until death do us part’. Forever, your white girl.” After her post last night, thousands of people took to the comments to share messages of support to Rute.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker’s wife, Natalia, shared a heart emoji. Former Reds star Thiago Alcantara’s wife, Julia Vigas, shared a prayer emoji and a series of heart emojis.

A follower named Catarina said: “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Marwa added: “Stay strong Rute.” Rose added: “As long as he’s in your heart, he’s never gone.”

Jota died in a car accident alongside his brother, Andre Silva, who was aged 25. The brothers and Rute all hailed from Gondomar and the ECHO visited the region in Portugal earlier this year to hear how much Silva and Jota mattered to their community.

A local named Carlos Vara told the ECHO how the values Silva and Jota embodied made them perfect role models for the next generation. The 60-year-old said: “They mean a lot because they come from a very humble and very dedicated family. They were great players and they were two great human beings.

“They were an example to the community because they have a special light and they cultivated that light. That means a lot. You don’t have to be number one in the world to be either a good player or a good person. And they were both.

“They started from the bottom as kids. They kept pushing on and going, step by step, and that’s why the kids and the clubs in the city are following their example.”

Jota took his influence on the next generation seriously and this is why he set up an academy in his name in 2022 at his first ever team, Gondomar Sports Club. Another Gondomar resident, Marta Teixeira, told the ECHO how this important community hub has made a real difference to the city and will be the Liverpool FC star’s true legacy.

The 33-year-old said: “He has the academy in Gondomar for young kids. He was already remembered for the academy. From now on, he will be even more [remembered for this]. Because people will remember him always as an inspiration that they can achieve what he did one day. I think his legacy will maintain.

“I think kids look at him and think, ‘OK, I’m not going to Porto, but maybe I have a chance in the future that I will come to a big club like Liverpool’.”

The brothers grew up in a small row of houses off the Rua da Minhoteira in Gondomar and their childhood friends told the ECHO how the way Jota was embraced in Merseyside was always something valued by people in the neighbourhood.

Cosme Oliveira said: “You guys always received him well, so I think we all have to thank you for the way you welcomed our boy in your land.”