Chelsea Squad to Honour Diogo Jota and Brother with Club World Cup Bonus Donation
Chelsea’s players have chosen to pay tribute to the late Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, by donating a portion of their FIFA Club World Cup bonus to the brothers’ family.
The gesture follows Chelsea’s surprising 3-0 victory over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13. The tournament spanned 12 venues across the U.S., and Chelsea’s win earned the club an estimated £85 million.
Tragically, the final occurred less than two weeks after a fatal accident in Cernadilla, Spain, which claimed the lives of Liverpool forward Jota and his brother.
In response, Chelsea’s squad has decided to give a part of their bonus earnings to the Jota family. According to The Athletic, players were originally set to split a $15.5 million (£11.4 million) bonus fund among themselves. However, after discussions with the club, it was agreed that an equivalent share would also be donated to the family. The total donation amounts to approximately $500,000 (£368,184).
Jota had a close bond with Chelsea winger Pedro Neto, his former teammate at both Wolves and the Portugal national team. Neto, visibly emotional, wore a Chelsea shirt bearing the brothers’ names during the quarter-final match against Palmeiras, which occurred just two days after the tragedy.
In a heartfelt Instagram tribute, Neto wrote:
“My sweet friend Jota. What a man, what a husband, what a father, what a partner and what a friend… Your laugh always made us laugh. I learned so much from you. As you always said, ‘There are no fantasies in the world.’ You were great, and always will be. That’s how we’ll remember you. We’ll never forget. Watch over us.”
Liverpool’s Tribute to Jota and Andre Silva
Liverpool has also announced touching tributes to honour Jota and his brother. Ahead of the 2025/26 season, the club revealed plans to erect a permanent memorial sculpture at Anfield in Jota’s memory.
In addition, Liverpool will retire the No. 20 shirt across all age levels to honour Jota, who netted 65 goals in 182 games for the club. Before their upcoming match against Bournemouth, the club will hold a minute’s silence for the brothers, and Liverpool players will wear a “Forever 20” emblem on their shirts and stadium gear throughout the season.
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