Andy Robertson honored Diogo Jota with a touching tribute that beautifully reflected how deeply loved the late Liverpool star was.
Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Zamora, northwestern Spain, during the early hours of Thursday. The vehicle suffered a tire blowout while overtaking, caught fire, and both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Jota had recently married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three young children.
His sudden passing at the age of 28 sent shockwaves through the football community. Figures like Cristiano Ronaldo, and former Liverpool managers Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot, expressed their heartbreak over the loss. Trent Alexander-Arnold called Jota a “true friend” and an exceptional teammate, struggling to put his grief into words.
Andy Robertson, also devastated, began his tribute by expressing deep sympathy for Jota’s family, recognizing the unbearable pain they must be enduring.
He then reflected on his five years of friendship with Jota, highlighting his character over his footballing skills. Robertson affectionately called him the “most British foreign player” he had ever met, nicknaming him “Diogo MacJota” for his love of British culture. He reminisced about their shared enjoyment of darts and horse racing, calling their Cheltenham outing one of their best times together.
He also shared a photo and memory from Jota’s wedding – the last time he saw him – remembering the joy and love that radiated from him on that special day.
In his Instagram post, Robertson wrote:
> “Right now, my thoughts are with the family. Their loss is unimaginable. My heart breaks for them after losing two incredible souls, Diogo and Andre.
> “As a team and as a club, we’ll face this grief together, for however long it takes.
> “Personally, I want to remember my friend – the guy I loved and will miss dearly.
> “It’s not about his talent on the pitch, though we all know how gifted he was. It’s about the man. Genuine. Kind. Fun-loving. Just a good person through and through.
> “We’d joke he was secretly Irish – I even tried to claim him as Scottish, hence Diogo MacJota. Watching darts, enjoying the races… those were the good times.
> “The last time I saw him was on his wedding day – he was glowing with happiness and love. That smile from that day is how I’ll always remember him.
> “It’s heartbreaking to say goodbye so soon. But thank you, Diogo, for being part of my life and making it better. I love you, mate.”
Jota scored 65 goals for Liverpool, with his final goal securing victory in the Merseyside derby against Everton. During his time at the club, he helped win two Carabao Cups, one FA Cup, and the Premier League title. Liverpool have announced that his No. 20 shirt will be honored permanently, with many supporters calling for it to be retired.
Internationally, Jota won two UEFA Nations League titles with Portugal, most recently in a penalty shootout victory over Spain last month.
The funerals for Diogo and Andre will be held Saturday in Gondomar, Portugal, following a wake at the São Cosme Chapel on Friday.
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