RIP Diego Jota: A tribute to a husband, father, and footballer who captured hearts

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·3. Juli 2025

RIP Diego Jota: A tribute to a husband, father, and footballer who captured hearts

From Portugal to Liverpool, he left silverware and memories behind

It is believed that Arsenal chose on Thursday to postpone the announcement of Martín Zubimendi’s signing out of respect for Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically died in a car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning.

It feels trivial to write about transfers, players, or managers before paying my own respects.

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Diogo Jota’s final game for Liverpool saw him lift the Premier League trophy, something the club had never done before in front of their home supporters. His final appearance for Portugal helped secure their second UEFA Nations League title, two of only three major trophies in the country’s footballing history.

There’s something beautifully poetic about the fact that, in his last matches for club and country, he left silverware behind for the two shirts he was so proud to wear.

Yet, if someone had said on 8th June, while celebrating after beating Spain on penalties, that Jota would never kick a ball again, no one would have believed it. Because not even a month later, he is no longer with us.

Those are the kinds of thoughts that make this loss feel surreal. Some process grief better than others, but many remain numb. His international captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, said “it doesn’t make sense”, while former manager Jürgen Klopp admitted he was struggling “to find meaning” in how two young men could be taken so suddenly.

Life is fragile, and heartbreakingly unfair

The only meaning I can offer is this, tell your loved ones every day that you love them. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Embrace life, because it is precarious, and you never know what is around the corner.

Two healthy sportsmen, professional athletes, were killed, neither even 30 years old. They were driving happily through Spain, both professionally and personally in the prime of life. The siblings thought they were boarding a ferry back to the UK. They had no idea how quickly their lives would end.

Early reports from emergency services suggest a tyre blew out as their car attempted to overtake another vehicle. The Lamborghini caught fire, and both were declared dead at the scene. Cruelly, at any other time, they would have flown home. But Jota had recently undergone surgery and had been advised not to fly. That’s how fragile life is.

If his teammates and former colleagues cannot process this devastating news, just imagine his family. Imagine a parent getting the call that not one, but two of your children have passed away. Two sons, who as far as you knew, were safely together on a road trip along the Spanish coast.

Anfield – Diogo Jota Tribute (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)

A player loved by two nations

As I write this, it has been only ten days since Jota got married. He had three children. A Premier League medal in May, a medal with his country in July, and a wedding. He had won at life, and then it was taken away.

I could talk about the goals he scored, his versatility, his incredible work rate and energy, but all of that feels immaterial compared to the fact that he was a husband and a father.

Liverpool is a unique city where everything is about football. You feel it everywhere you go. It’s a proud part of the world, but when they let you in, you become part of the family. They hold you tight and never let go.

If his family are looking for comfort in how loved and respected he was, no stadium will show that more than Anfield. First with flowers and tributes in the coming days, but just wait for the rest of the season when the Kop sings Jota’s name.

Portugal is equally proud. Every city and neighbourhood takes pride when one of their own achieves worldwide success. Not only did two brothers overcome the odds to get paid to do what they loved, one played in World Cups, Euros, and Champions League finals.

Diogo Jota played 395 club games and earned 49 caps for Portugal. He scored 133 club goals and 14 for his country.

He won the Championship with Wolves, a Premier League title, two League Cups, and an FA Cup with Liverpool, and two Nations Leagues with Portugal.

But more than that, he captured many hearts.

RIP Diogo JotaYNWA

Dan Smith

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