Football
Liverpool chiefs confirm plans to honour “truly irreplaceable” Jota
Liverpool’s football chief, Michael Edwards, and sporting director Richard Hughes have issued an emotional joint statement in response to the heartbreaking passing of forward Diogo Jota.
The 28-year-old Portuguese star lost his life, along with his brother Andre Silva, in a devastating road accident during the early hours of Thursday morning.
Jota, who recently tied the knot with his long-time partner Rute Cardoso, is survived by his wife and their three young children.
In their message, Edwards and Hughes promised the club would pay tribute to Jota in the days ahead, with meaningful gestures to honour his memory. Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot also released a separate statement expressing his sorrow over the shocking loss.
The joint statement, published on Liverpool’s official website, read:
“No words can truly lessen the sorrow of this devastating tragedy. At this moment, we are consumed by grief and finding it hard to come to terms with the loss of Diogo and his brother, Andre.
“Our thoughts and love are firmly with Diogo’s wife, Rute, their three wonderful children, and the rest of his family as they endure an unimaginable heartbreak. This devastating accident has taken two lives far too soon, and we must give their loved ones the privacy and space they need to grieve in their own way.
“As a Liverpool family—comprising his teammates, friends, and colleagues—we unite in mourning and shock. We recognize that this heartbreak reaches far beyond our club, touching his national team, former clubs, and the global football community, all of whom share in this mourning. This loss goes beyond the boundaries of the game.
“In the coming days, we will honour Diogo, our beloved number 20, with the love and respect he so richly deserves. These tributes will be designed to reflect the affection of our supporters, to whom Diogo meant so much.
“For now, we share a love steeped in sadness and loss. We have lost someone truly irreplaceable. Rest in peace, Diogo. You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Jota had been advised not to fly after lung surgery
According to BBC Sport, Jota was travelling from Porto to Santander in northern Spain at the time of the incident. He planned to take a ferry back to England for Liverpool’s pre-season training.
Reports suggest doctors had advised the forward against air travel due to a minor lung procedure he recently underwent. Rather than flying, Jota had planned to board a ferry from Santander to either Plymouth or Portsmouth for his journey back to Merseyside.
His passing has sent ripples across the football world, sparking a flood of heartfelt tributes from fans, fellow players, and clubs around the globe.
Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals with a tense 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich, in a match marred by Jamal Musiala’s serious ankle injury and two late red cards for the French champions.
Desire Doue, who was the hero in PSG’s Champions League final triumph against Inter Milan, struck again with a precise left-footed finish in the 78th minute to break the deadlock. Despite being reduced to nine men, Ousmane Dembele sealed the win in stoppage time with a clinical counter-attack finish, setting up a mouthwatering semi-final clash against Real Madrid, who edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in New Jersey.
The first half in Atlanta ended goalless but was overshadowed by a concerning moment for Bayern. Musiala, starting for the first time in the tournament after recovering from injury, was caught on the ankle by PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma while chasing a loose ball. The 21-year-old Germany international was left clutching his ankle in pain as Bayern’s medical team rushed to his aid, while Donnarumma looked visibly shaken by the incident.
Earlier, Dayot Upamecano had a header chalked off for offside, while Manuel Neuer pulled off a superb save to deny Bradley Barcola early in the second half.
PSG’s resolve was tested further after Doue’s opener. Moments later, chaos struck as defender Willian Pacho was shown a straight red for a reckless lunge on Leon Goretzka. Deep into stoppage time, Lucas Hernandez followed him off the pitch after catching Raphael Guerreiro with a stray elbow, reducing the Ligue 1 giants to just nine men.
Bayern’s hopes flickered when Harry Kane found the back of the net, but the celebration was cut short as the goal was ruled out for offside. The drama didn’t end there—VAR took center stage when referee Anthony Taylor awarded Bayern a penalty for Nuno Mendes’ high challenge on Thomas Muller. But after a tense review at the pitchside monitor, Taylor stunned the German side by overturning his call.
The match marked an emotional farewell for Muller, who came on for Kingsley Coman in the final 10 minutes. The 35-year-old’s cameo was his last appearance for Bayern Munich, bringing an end to a glittering 17-year spell with the club he joined as a teenager.
PSG vs Bayern Munich Highlights
Real Madrid edged past Borussia Dortmund in a chaotic stoppage-time finish to secure their place in the Club World Cup semi-finals.
The Spanish giants looked to be cruising after Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring with a superb volley from Arda Guler’s cross in the 10th minute. Ten minutes later, Fran Garcia doubled their advantage by tapping home a delivery from Trent Alexander-Arnold, putting Madrid firmly in control at 2-0.
However, the match took a dramatic turn in the closing stages. Dortmund substitute Maximilian Beier pulled one back to spark hope for the German side. Moments later, Kylian Mbappe, also coming off the bench, restored Madrid’s two-goal cushion with a stunning acrobatic volley.
But the drama wasn’t over yet. Defender Dean Huijsen was shown a red card for pulling down striker Serhou Guirassy inside the box, gifting Dortmund a penalty. Guirassy converted from the spot to make it 3-2, though it proved too late to prevent Madrid’s victory.
The result means Real Madrid advance to the semi-finals with Garcia emerging as one of the tournament’s standout players. His fourth goal in five matches ties him with Angel Di Maria and Marcos Leonardo in the race for the golden boot, though both of his rivals have already been knocked out of the competition.
Real Madrid vs Dortmund Highlights
Football
REVEALED: What Ronaldo said to Diogo Jota’s family before the funeral as reason for Portugal captain’s absence
The heartfelt message Cristiano Ronaldo sent to Diogo Jota’s family ahead of the Liverpool forward’s funeral has now been revealed.
The football world was left in shock on Thursday after tragic news emerged that Jota and his brother Andre Silva had been killed in a car accident in Zamora, Spain.
The pair were reportedly traveling back to England when their vehicle suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking on the dangerous A-52 dual carriageway, leading to a fatal crash.
In line with Portuguese tradition, funeral services for Jota and his brother were held in their hometown of Gondomar on Saturday morning.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and several members of the squad attended to pay their respects, alongside other football figures such as Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot, and Portugal internationals Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves.
Despite having shared an emotional tribute to Jota online, Portugal captain Ronaldo did not attend the funeral. Instead, he chose to remain with his family in Mallorca, citing concerns about his presence creating an overwhelming media frenzy at the private ceremony.
According to Portuguese outlet Record, Ronaldo personally contacted Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, ahead of the funeral. In his message, the Al Nassr forward reportedly assured her that he would always stand by her and the couple’s three young children during this unimaginable time of grief.
However, not everyone agreed with Ronaldo’s decision to stay away. Portuguese sports journalist and commentator Luis Cristovao slammed the omission, describing it as “inexplicable.” He added, “Since it’s inexplicable, any attempt at justification will fail to cover the gravity of his absence.”
Ronaldo’s emotional tribute to Jota
Following confirmation of the tragic accident, Ronaldo took to social media to share his heartbreak and send condolences to Jota’s loved ones. He wrote:
“It doesn’t make sense. Just recently we were together with the national team, and not long ago you celebrated your wedding. To your family, your wife, and your children, I extend my heartfelt condolences and wish them all the strength they need in this difficult time. I believe you will continue to watch over them. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. You will be profoundly missed.”
The passing of Diogo Jota at just 28 has left an immense void in both Liverpool and Portuguese football, with tributes continuing to pour in from across the globe.
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