Crowds mourn Liverpool star Jota in his Portuguese hometown

Crowds mourned Diogo Jota in his hometown to pay their respects to the Liverpool forward and his brother André Silva, who both died in a car crash on Thursday.

Portugal’s president, stars from the national team and fans from across the country gathered in the small town of Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto, where the pair grew up.

Their parents, grandfather and other family members held a private vigil at a chapel in the town before it was opened to the public for a wake. The funeral will be held on Saturday.

The pair – both footballers, with André playing in Portugal’s second division – were killed after the Lamborghini they were travelling in crashed in the Spanish province of Zamora.

Fans carrying Portugal flags, flowers and other memorabilia were seen weeping as they queued to pay their respects.

Those in attendance included President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, national team stars João Moutinho, Diogo Dalot and Ricardo Horta, and Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes.

For years as a young boy, Jota played for local club Gondomar SC, which named its academy after him in 2022.

Emblazoned on its sign is a quote from Jota: “It’s not about where we come from but where we’re going to.”

Outside the club, shirts and scarves were laid inside a ring of candles.

The 28-year-old father-of-three – who this year won the Nations League with Portugal and Premier League with Liverpool – married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days before the fatal crash.

He had been travelling back to Liverpool for pre-season training, making the trip by car and ferry because he had undergone minor surgery and had been advised against flying.

Liverpool said his death was a “tragedy that transcends” the club.

Fans also grieved outside the club’s Anfield stadium.

Former captain Jordan Henderson was seen in tears as he laid a wreath, with a card that read: “Rest in peace my friend, along with your brother André. We will all miss you.”

Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah admitted he was dreading returning to the club in the wake of Jota’s shock death.

“I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break,” Salah wrote in a post on social media.

A delegation from Liverpool’s city rival club Everton – including Portugal-born strikers Beto and Youssef Chermiti – also attended and left flowers outside Anfield.

Former Liverpool councillor Peter Millea – a home and away regular who had come to pay his respects – told the BBC: “There was something about him as a player when he first came to us that he became an instant hit.

“He was one of those players you can easily take to, because of the manner in which he conducted himself on and off the pitch and the important goals he scored.”

Mr Millea said some fans at Anfield had broken into impromptu renditions of the chant while paying their respects.

“I’m sure we’ll hear it loud and clear at Wembley for the Community Shield and we’ll hear it at Preston for the first pre-season away game, you know it’ll be sung around the field against Athletic Bilbao and then during the course of the rest of the season and probably forever-more,” he said.

Elsewhere, fans left flowers, scarves and shirts outside Wolves’ Molineux Stadium, where Jota played prior to his move to Anfield.

At Wimbledon, Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon to mark the passing of his countrymen.

A minute’s silence was held in the Women’s Euro 2025 game between Denmark and Sweden.

Liverpool has cancelled pre-season fitness tests that were due to take place today for some players as a result of yesterday’s news. A phased return of training will now begin on Monday.

The funeral service will be held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme in Gondomar at 10:00 on Saturday.