Friends and family of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota were united in grief today as they gathered for the funeral of the 28-year-old winger.
Distraught loved ones gathered in Portugal for a heart-breaking service to bid a final farewell to the Portuguese star and his brother Andre Silva, 25, who both died following a car accident on Thursday.
Tearful mourners, including Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso, were seen walking through the brothers’ hometown of Gondomar as they made their way into the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar earlier today.
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 as it was taken into the church.
Only family and friends were allowed inside, however a livestream with audio of the service, lead by D. Manuel Linda, the Bishop of Porto, was played outside to thousands of mourners who lined the streets to pay their respects.
In a heartfelt message to Jota’s three children, who did not attend the funeral service, the Bishop said he would ‘pray a lot for you’ and told the congregation ‘if it is difficult to see an adult cry, it is even more difficult to see a child cry’.
Current and former teammates of the Premier League star including a host of Liverpool and Portuguese players, attended the funeral today alongside friends and family.
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.
Thousands of people gathered in and around the church, including those who showed up to support the family.
The funeral began with the Lord’s Prayer, before a eulogy was read out. The service lasted for around an hour.
An organist led hymns inside the church including The Lord is My Shepherd, Hallelujah and Bach’s Air On A G String.
The funeral mass was led by D. Manuel Linda, the Bishop of Porto, and in his homily he left a message to the three sons of Portuguese international Jota.
‘Dear Dinis, Mafalda and Duarte, children who are not here. At this moment you are suffering immensely or perhaps not because you do not realize it. I will pray a lot for you,’ he said.
‘The ones who suffer a lot are your mother and your grandparents. Seeing the mortal remains of a child must be a greater torment, but when there are two urns there are no words.
‘But there are feelings. We are here to say that we also suffered a lot. We are here with you emotionally.
‘It’s human to cry. Too bad for us if we didn’t.’
The Bishop continued: ‘May we have faith and hope in the resurrection. This communion of life is achieved through baptism and works. Your father got married 11 days before this event.
‘Good works: both of you rose in life through your sacrifices. Always respecting your fellow man.
‘Serious, respectable people. With a particular aptitude. The Church likes sports. Sports have enormous potential to bring together different people. Where they come together: respect, discipline… There are many values of sports.
‘If it is difficult to see an adult cry, it is even more difficult to see a child cry. I send you a special greeting for your mother and grandparents. I am with you but Jesus is also with you.’
The song Ave Maria was played as the coffins were carried out of the church this afternoon, with guests comforted each other as they walked behind them.
Jota’s wife Rute was emotional and held the back of her husband’s coffin. Someone beside her placed her arm around her. Those gathered around the church applauded them as they went.
The two brothers will be laid to rest in the cemetery next door to the church, less than 100 metres away. It is surrounded by olive trees.
A seventh day mass will also be held next Wednesday, July 9, at 9pm, in the same church where family members will come together to remember the two brothers, share stories about them and pray.
Much of Liverpool’s current men’s squad attended the funeral of their late teammate today alongside Van Dijk and Robertson.
Former Liverpool stars including Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho and Thiago as well as Manchester City’s Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva are also in attendance for the service today in Gondomar.
Portugal teammate Ruben Neves, who flew in to Portugal after playing for Al-Hilal in their Club World Cup clash in Orlando, US, was also a pallbearer for Diogo’s coffin.
Merseyside comedian John Bishop was also among the stars making their way inside the church with Portugal and Wolves defender Nelson Semedo.
Despite reports he was spotted in the Mediterranean, there was no sign of Portugal captain Christiano Ronaldo at the service today.
The pair were part of the Portugal side which won the Nations League final last month.
Ronaldo, who scored in the 61st minute of the clash against Spain, penned a heartfelt tribute to Jota and his brother Andre in a post on social media on Thursday.
‘It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married,’ Ronaldo wrote.
‘To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them.
‘Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.’
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was not able to attend the funeral because he is currently on international duty with Brazil.
Explaining his absence, he wrote on Instagram: ‘Usually, I post things that make sense, but today, nothing makes sense!
‘Once again, an ocean separates me from “saying goodbye” to someone I love! But I know that I am well represented by my club mates!
‘To you, my friend @rutecfcardoso14, just know that you will never walk alone, we will be with you as soon as possible!
‘In a moment like this, all we can do is bow down before the Sovereignty of God, and receive grace and help in this time!
‘I’ll remember Diogo as a great friend, father and husband!’
Yesterday, well wishers laid flowers at the wake for the brothers, which traditionally happens before the funeral in Portugal.
Several past and present players of the Premier League, who are attending the funeral today, were given a round of applause by local mourners as they passed through the streets to visit the chapel last night.
Mourners sobbed and carried roses and national team scarves in homage to Jota, who won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal less than a month ago, during a wake on Friday.
Aerial footage showed queues stretching from the small chapel, around the corner to the nearby church where his funeral will be held.
Jota’s heartbroken wife and parents gathered at the wake and held a vigil at the coffins of the former Wolves striker and his brother.
Rute, who married the 28-year-old footballer on June 22, walked into the chapel in Gondomar after returning with her husband’s body from Spain on Thursday.
The city overlooking Porto is where the couple, who share three children, met and started dating as teenagers.
In Instagram posts after her wedding she wrote ‘yes to forever’ and ‘my dream come true’ beneath photos of their special day. Just five days after that post, her husband was tragically killed.
Diogo and Andre’s mother Isabel, father Joaquim and their grandfather were also emotional on arriving at the chapel.
Joaquim hugged several people and was supported by his brother and later raised a hand to mourners as he left with his wife. They returned around an hour later.
Father-of-three Jota was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning along with his footballer brother Andre Silva, 25.
Their acid green 200mph £180,000 Lamborghini Huracan burst into flames after a suspected tyre blowout on the A-52 highway near Zamora in north-west Spain. No other vehicles were involved, police have said.
The brothers were on a road trip to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to catch a ferry to the UK after the Liverpool player and Portuguese international was advised not to travel by plane following lung surgery.
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.