The town of Gondomar, Portugal, fell into a deep silence on Saturday. It wasn’t just mourning a football star — it was saying goodbye to two sons of the soil. Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva were laid to rest, days after a tragic car crash that shocked not only Portugal but the entire footballing world.
Jota, only 28, was at the peak of his career. His brother André, 25, was chasing dreams of his own in the Portuguese second division. But both lives were cut short on a quiet road in Spain. The football world responded with heartbreak and unity.
As rain softly fell over Gondomar, hundreds of people — friends, fans, neighbours — stood quietly outside the church. Inside, it was even quieter. No cameras. No chaos. Just grief.
Liverpool players arrived early. Captain Virgil van Dijk and manager Arne Slot led the group.
They walked in carrying two floral tributes — both shaped like shirts. One bore the number 20, Jota’s number. The other had the number 30, Andre’s.
Ruben Neves, one of Jota’s closest friends, helped carry the coffin. He had flown in from the US after playing for Al Hilal just a day earlier.
So did Joao Cancelo. Both had broken down during a minute of silence at the Club World Cup match in Orlando.
Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, who had only recently married him, entered the church holding onto family members. She did not speak. She didn’t need to. Her pain was visible.
Several Portugal internationals, including Bruno Fernandes, Joao Cancelo, Renato Veiga, Joao Felix, Jose Fonte, Danilo, and Adrien Silva, were in attendance.
Bernardo Silva was spotted carrying a bouquet as he entered the church, while a delegation from Liverpool also made their way to the venue.
The intimate ceremony, reserved for close friends and family, was led by Bishop Manuel Linda of Porto.
During a heartfelt sermon directed at Jota’s parents, his wife, and their three young children, Bishop Linda remarked that “solidarity in love always triumphs over death.”
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How People Paid Tribute to Diogo Jota at Anfield?
While Gondomar said goodbye in person, Liverpool did so from afar.
Thousands of fans visited Anfield. The tributes stretched from one end of the main stand to the other.
Flowers, scarves, candles, handwritten cards — they all told the same story: Forever 20. And again and again, one phrase stood out: You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Kids who had only just learned to chant Jota’s name were now learning what it means to say goodbye. It wasn’t just football — it was family. It always has been at Anfield.
Back in Portugal, the Bishop of Porto offered words that stayed with many.
“Seeing the remains of a child must be a great torment,” he said. “But when there are two urns, there are no words. Only feelings.”
As people slowly left the churchyard, two red shirts sat atop the brothers’ graves. A message from the club was tucked between them. One final tribute. One final farewell.
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