The funeral of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota was on Saturday held in the Portuguese town of Gondomar where family, friends and former teammates gathered to pay their respects.
Friends and family of the 28-year-old footballer, who died alongside his brother Andre Silva, 25, following a car accident on Thursday, were seen in tears as they carried their coffins into the church.
Distraught loved ones, including Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso, were seen walking through the the brothers’ hometown of Gondomar in tears while other distraught mourners were being held up as they walked.
Rute, 28, who shares three young children with Jota – two boys and a girl – was dressed all in white, clutching a cream-coloured rose as she placed her hand on her husband’s casket.
Only family and friends are allowed inside the church, however a livestream with audio of the service, lead by the Bishop of Porto, is being played outside to thousands of mourners who have lined the streets to pay their respects.
Thefrontrank reports that Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva were buried in a private cemetery.
Current and former teammates of the Premier League star have been steadily arriving to the church this morning ahead of the service.
Liverpool players who arrived in the town last night, attended the funeral today alongside a host of Portuguese stars.
They included current captain Virgil Van Dijk, who held a flower arrangement in the shape of Diogo’s shirt with the number 20, and Andy Robertson, who carried a red shirt bearing Andre’s number 30.
In a heartwarming gesture, the Premier League club will reportedly pay the remainder of Jota’s contract to his family, as reported by Record.
The Portugal international had two years remaining on his contract at Liverpool, which he signed in 2022.
