The family of Diogo Jota issued a brief statement during a media briefing as the Liverpool forward’s funeral was held on Saturday.
Jota and his brother, André Silva, tragically died in a car accident in the early hours of Thursday. Preliminary police reports suggest that a tyre burst while they were overtaking in Zamora, Spain, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and catch fire.
Spain’s Guardia Civil later confirmed that the two victims were Jota and his brother, who also played professional football in Portugal’s second division.
The funeral for both men took place on Saturday morning in their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal.
Liverpool representatives, including manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil van Dijk, and vice-captain Andy Robertson, attended the service. Former teammates such as Fabinho, Thiago, and Jordan Henderson were also present, along with several Portuguese national team players and staff—Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Neves, Bernardo Silva, and manager Roberto Martinez.
Also in attendance were FC Porto president André Villas-Boas, Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes, and Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
Before the ceremony began, Jota’s family shared a short statement through a media briefing, asking that the service remain private, according to BBC News.
A wake held on Friday had drawn hundreds of mourners and was described as emotionally overwhelming. Due to the large turnout, Saturday’s funeral was broadcast on loudspeakers outside the church, with a designated area set up for the public to gather.
Friday’s initial private memorial for family and friends eventually became public, as crowds gathered in Gondomar to pay their respects.
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