Early on Saturday morning, a large crowd of tearful mourners have already gathered at Diogo Jota’s hometown, Gondomar in Portugal before the funeral ceremony started at 10:00am at the Resurrection Church Chapel where the burial ceremony is being jointly held for the Liverpool football player, Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva who lost their lives in a car accident in Spain while driving his Lamborghini vehicle along the Highway in Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain, barely 10 days he married his high school classmate, Rute Cardoso in Porto on Sunday, June 22, after a 13-year relationship and three children together. 

Local media and residents at the funeral ceremony reported that the players and technical staff of Liverpool have already arrived at the Resurrection Chapel in Gondomar for the  funeral of the Liverpool forward, Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva.

The Liverpool squad, as seen in early videos and photographs from the funeral led by Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, have arrived in Gondomar as Virgil Van Dijk carries flower design of number 20 for Diogo Jota and Andy Robertson carries the number 30 for Diogo’s brother, Andre Silva.

Hundreds of mourners lined the streets of Gondomar to pay their final respects to fallen Liverpool star Diogo Jota at the city’s chapel.

Newly appointed manager Arne Slot was also among those in attendance, leading the group as they approached the church.

Reuters had on Friday reported tha hundreds of residents of Gondomar in northern Portugal filed past the bodies of former Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at a chapel in their hometown on Friday, after their deaths in a car crash in Spain.

Adding; “At an earlier private wake, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, FC Porto President Andre Villas-Boas, Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca and Jota’s longtime agent Jorge Mendes joined the brothers’ family including Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso, who had married the footballer just weeks earlier.

Cristiano Ronaldo who Liverpool authority said would not be attending the funeral ceremony had on Thursday in a tweet sympathised with the bereaved and said: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married. 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”.

Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, senior Liverpool Football Club officials, and well-known football figures, including Manchester United player Diogo Dalot, former Liverpool player Fabinho, and Portugal and RB Leipzig player Andre Silva, attended the wake on Friday.

Tributes were laid at Anfield stadium following the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.

In a press statement published on its website, Liverpool Football Club said It opened physical and digital books of condolence, following the devastating passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.

“Supporters and members of the public can sign the physical book, which will be placed in the Anfield Road Stand reception area at Anfield during the following hours:

Thursday July 3 – 5pm-9pm, with a limited number of books available this evening
Friday July 4 – 9am-9pm, Saturday July 5 – 9am-5pm, and Sunday July 6 – 9am-5pm. The online book of condolence is available to be signed here (a link at the Liverpool website), and is accessible to fans across the globe.

As well as the books of condolence, flags have been lowered to half-mast at Anfield. All club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday July 7 and staff have been offered wellbeing support, should they need it”.

Spanish police had said that athat at about 12:30am (Spanish time), a car went into flames, presumably due to the explosion of a tire, at kilometre 65 of the A52 motorway in Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain. The Lamborghini car accident was caused by a “burst tire while overtaking,” the country’s Guardia Civil said on Thursday, and the vehicle that Jota and his brother were in left the road and subsequently caught fire leading to the death of two people, who were later identified as Diogo Jota, Liverpool player, and Andre Silva, his brother, Penafiel player.

The Liverpool forward and Portugal international, Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, simply and popularly known as Diogo Jota, passed away at the age of 28.

The Spanish sports newspaper Marca reported the incident on Thursday, confirming that Jota died at the scene of the accident.

Born on December 4, 1996, in Porto, Portugal, Jota rose through the football ranks with determination and flair, earning respect across Europe for his explosive performances and versatility in attack.

The right-footed attacker, who could also play as a left or right winger, began his professional journey in Portugal before gaining international fame.

Jota joined Liverpool FC on September 19, 2020, from Wolverhampton Wanderers and became a crucial part of the Reds’ attacking options.

It is widely reported that as of May 2025, his market value stood at €40 million, peaking at €60 million in December 2021. He extended his Liverpool contract in August 2022, which was due to expire in 2027.

During his career, Jota amassed 398 club appearances across major competitions, scoring 136 goals and providing 66 assists.

He played 190 Premier League matches, scoring 63 goals and registering 24 assists.

His goal-scoring prowess was also seen in the UEFA Champions League (6 goals), Europa League (9 goals), and domestic cups.