Summary

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Jota's final goal for Liverpool wins Merseyside derby (UK users only)

  1. An adopted Scouser - the ultimate tribute to Diogo Jotapublished at 20:37 British Summer Time 3 July

    Luke Reddy
    Reporting from Anfield

    Diogo Jota lifts the Premier League rophy surrounded by his teammates.Image source, Getty Images

    In some ways, being adopted by a club and a city is perhaps the ultimate tribute.

    The language on some of the notes attached to flowers is telling. Diogo Jota was clearly a Liverpudlian in the hearts of many. People have addressed their hero as if shouting his name from The Kop.

    “Rest in peace Jota lad,” reads one note.

    There’s a framed photograph of one man taking a selfie with Jota, while a note on the image explains how much the gentleman’s family loved the forward.

    The colours of Leeds United, Rangers and Everton are strewn within tributes.

    Jota was seemingly respected and admired by many, while being considered an adopted Scouser by those of a Red persuasion.

    We're now ending our coverage, you can keep up to date in our news story, read up on the tributes that have poured in today and take a look back at Jota's greatest moments.

  2. 'Diogo lives forever': The scene in Anfieldpublished at 20:34 British Summer Time 3 July

    Luke Reddy
    Reporting from Anfield

    Fans pay tribute in Anfield.Image source, PA Media

    We'll shortly be closing our live coverage. But before we go here's a sense of the scene at Anfield this evening following the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.

    Thousands of tributes flank Anfield. One lady among hundreds silently pondering simply says “bless him” to her friend as she fights back some tears.

    At the Paisley Gates, a homemade banner hangs in the shadows of The Kop.

    And, draped on a concourse adjacent to Anfield’s Main Stand, facing the sea of scarfs, shirts, flowers and notes on the grass below, a small placard simply reads "Diogo lives forever".

    Flowers and wreaths laid.Image source, Getty Images

    Liverpool, and beyond, continues to mourn the brothers' deaths - here are some reactions from the heartbroken fans:

    Media caption,

    'Hard to come to terms with': Fans pay tribute to Liverpool footballer Joto

  3. 'Love you, Diogo', says team mate Andy Robertsonpublished at 20:20 British Summer Time 3 July

    Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota.Image source, Getty Images

    Liverpool footballer Andy Robertson has paid tribute to his team mate Diogo Jota, he says "he was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real".

    "I can't believe we're saying goodbye. It's too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you being in my life, mate - and for making it better," he writes in a post on Instagram.

    On Jota's recent wedding, which took place last month, Roberston said: "I want to remember the never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family."

    Speaking on the deaths of Jota and his brother André Silva, he adds: "Their loss is too much to bear."

  4. Moment of silence held in Spain v Portugal matchpublished at 20:04 British Summer Time 3 July

    Two football teams line a line facing each other in the middle of a pitch. The line of each team are embracing on another. The stands are full of fansImage source, Reuters

    A moment of silence has just been held for Diogo Jota and André Silva, ahead of the Portugal v Spain match this evening, as part of the UEFA Women's Euros.

    Silence descended across the Wankdorf Stadium in Switzerland as the players gathered in the centre of the pitch, arm in arm.

    It came after a rousing rendition of the Portuguese national anthem, according to BBC Sport writer Emily Salley.

    Three men at the front of a barrier in Portugal national team shirts holding a sign in honour of JotaImage source, Reuters
  5. How Jota is being rememberedpublished at 19:58 British Summer Time 3 July

    In the hours since Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva were killed in a car crash, tributes from across the world of football and beyond have poured in.

    During his career Jota played for teams in Portugal, as well as Wolverhampton and Liverpool. Tributes throughout the day paint a picture of a man who - as Liverpool Manager Arne Slot says - was a "friend to everyone".

    Here are just some of those messages:

    • "The essence of what a Liverpool player should be" - Arne Slot
    • "It doesn't make sense... we will miss you" - Cristiano Ronaldo
    • "Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend" - Jurgen Klopp
    • "I will always remember you with your smile" - Darwin Nunez
    • "Devastated" - Liverpool Football Club
    • "An extraordinary person" - Portugal's national team
    • "I feel so lucky to have shared the pitch with you" - Harvey Elliott
    • "You will stay with us forever, on and off the pitch" - Dominic Szoboszlai

    We've also heard from Penafiel FC, the Portuguese club André Silva played for. "The loss of two such young lives," the club writes, "fills us with pain and dismay."

    They express their condolences to the brothers' family, friends and team-mates, and says it will declare official mourning and pay tribute to them at upcoming events.

  6. Fans look on at sea of tributes left for footballer they adoredpublished at 19:44 British Summer Time 3 July

    Daniel Austin
    Reporting from Anfield

    Liverpool FC scarves, shirts, flowers and a games controller on the ground.

    Fans are waiting patiently to approach the front of the tribute area at Anfield.

    They're standing in solemn silence and looking at the photos, messages, and items left in honour of Diogo Jota - a footballer they adored.

    The majority of fans visiting tonight are from the Liverpool area but others have come from further afield.

    People from the wider North West and Midlands regions are here, as are tourists visiting the city who have altered their plans.

    As well as hundreds of Liverpool scarves, shirts, and Portugal flags, items have been left in the colours of Wolves, Everton, Leeds, Rangers, AC Milan, and more.

    There is even a Liverpool FC-decaled PlayStation controller, a reference to Jota's love of video games.

  7. Portugal, Wolverhampton, Liverpool: Jota's career in picturespublished at 19:27 British Summer Time 3 July

    Jota running in between two men in different kits during a ootball matchImage source, Gualter Fatia/Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Jota started his career at Pacos de Ferreira's, in Portugal. He played there from 2013 to 2015

    Jota behind a football which is in the air at chest height as he looked at it, ready to hit itImage source, Pedro Lopes / DPI / NurPhoto via Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Porto was next on the cards for the left winger. During this time he played his former club

    Jota running away from a goal net cheering and holding his arms out to either side with his fists curledImage source, Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
    Image caption,

    His time at Wolverhampton Wanderers was highly successful. They won Premier League promotion and and he made his debut in the competition in 2018

    Klopp, who wears a big black coat and a LFC hat, hugs Jota who wears a red LFC training top.Image source, James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, embraces Diogo Jota. He joined the club in 2020, scoring the first goal of the 2021-2022 Premier League season

    Jota tugging at the neck of his football shirt in the rain looking tired, as Ronaldo holds Jota's shouldersImage source, Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Jota also played for his national team of Portugal. He first joined the under-19 level, before making it to the men's senior team in 2019

  8. 'It was already going to be a hard game': Portugal fans mourn Jota ahead of Euros matchpublished at 19:12 British Summer Time 3 July

    Headshot of a woman speaking to a camera. She wears a black football shirtImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Isabel Costa says Portuguese people are shocked following the news

    In Switzerland, where Portugal are due to play in the UEFA Women's Euros, fans are paying tribute to brothers Jota and Silva.

    "It's a tragedy for the whole of Portugal and for those outside the country too," Isabel Costa tells Reuters. She says her country's match against Spain tonight will be "difficult".

    Another Portuguese fan, Tatiana, says: "I think we're all a bit shaken up and trying to understand what happened. It's very tragic and difficult news, on a day when Portugal is also playing.”

    "It was already going to be a hard game. I think now you know it's going to be even harder," Sara Abreu adds.

    She says she hopes, in a way, it will "give a bit of strength to the girls to fight even harder" and make Jota proud.

  9. We have lost someone truly irreplaceable, say Liverpool FC directorspublished at 18:59 British Summer Time 3 July

    In another statement released by Liverpool FC this evening, chief executive of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes say “there is nothing that we can say in this moment to ease the pain of such a devastating tragedy."

    They add that "it is our responsibility to acknowledge the collective grief we are experiencing, to pay tribute to our Diogo."

    His family are the "absolute priority", the statement says, as they are "facing an unimaginable loss."

    "We must respect the family’s privacy and give them the space to grieve in whichever way they need."

    The statement concludes: "In the coming days, we as a club will look to honour our beloved number 20 with the respect and affection he so richly deserves. We will strive to make these tributes meaningful and inclusive of our supporters, to whom Diogo meant so much.

    "For now, we express a love that is filled with deep sorrow and pain. We have lost someone truly irreplaceable."

  10. Singing breaks out as supporters queue to sign book of condolencepublished at 18:49 British Summer Time 3 July

    Daniel Austin
    Reporting from Anfield

    A large queue outside on tarmac in front of rows of houses. There are some barriers blocking part of the tarmac off

    A large queue is forming outside the Anfield Road Stand as fans patiently wait their turn to sign a book of condolences for Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.

    Supporters broke out into a spontaneous chorus of the Jota song which fans so often boomed around this historic stadium.

    That was followed by a sombre rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone.

    Most here have stunned expressions on their faces.

  11. 'A unique human being': Liverpool manager Arne Slot remembers Diogo Jotapublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 3 July

    Arne Slot and Diogo Jota on the football pitch together.Image source, Getty Images

    Earlier we heard from former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and now current manager Arne Slot has released a statement saying Jota was the "essence of what a Liverpool player should be".

    Slot adds that there was a side of Jota that people didn't get to see: "The person who never sought popularity but found it anyway. Not a friend to two people, a friend to everyone.

    "Someone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family."

    He adds that for all those in the club "the sense of shock is absolute", describing Jota as a "unique human being".

    Slot mentions Jota's recent wedding, saying: "In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this."

    He shares his condolences with Diogo’s wife, Rute, their three children and the parents of Jota and his brother André Silva.

    "My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone," he says, referencing the song so closely associated with the club.

  12. Some Liverpool fans calling for club to retire number 20 shirtpublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 3 July

    Jota kneeling on the floor in a red football kit with a number 20 on his back. The photo is from behind so you see his back, and his arms are in the air pointing to the skyImage source, Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Jota celebrating winning the Premier League in April 2025

    Diogo Jota wore the number 20 during his time at Liverpool. Since the news of his death, a section of the club’s fans have been calling for the number to be retired.

    One fan writes on X: "Wearing No.20 while winning No.20. Retire the number, it's the most fitting time."

    Another says: "Retire his number. Sing his song at every game. Forever our number 20."

    If Liverpool were to do so, it would be the first time the club have ever retired a shirt number.

    It's not a hugely common practice. One of the most famous posthumous number retirements comes from West Ham, honouring former captain Bobby Moore.

    Moore wore number six for the Hammers, and famously captained England to their only World Cup win in 1966. His number was retired in 2008, 15 years after his death.

    Another instance comes from Manchester City, who retired the number 23 in honour of Marc-Vivien Foe. Foe collapsed on the pitch in 2003 during the Confederations Cup semi-final and was stretchered off, however he died shortly after.

    Liverpool have not commented on the possibility of retiring Diogo Jota’s number.

  13. Watch: The standout goals from Jota's time in the Premier Leaguepublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 3 July

    As tributes to Jota continue to pour in, let's take a look back at some of his best goals in the Premier League.

    Media caption,

    Some Diogo Jota's best Premier League goals

  14. Liverpool team-mates past and present pay tribute to Diogo Jotapublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 3 July

    Dominic Szoboszlai is hugged by Diogo Jota after scoring at Anfield. Mo Salah is running toward them.Image source, Getty Images

    Throughout the day we've been hearing from footballers who've played alongside Diogo Jota - including those from the team he's been part of since 2020.

    Hungarian midfielder Dominic Szoboszlai, who won the Premier League title with Jota this season at Liverpool, posted a tribute on Instagram.

    "Words cannot describe how heartbroken and devastated we are... Your smile, your love for the game will never be forgotten," he writes. "We will miss you so much, but you will stay with us forever, on and off the pitch."

    Ex-Liverpool teammate Roberto Firmino also expressed his sadness at hearing the news: "It was a privilege and an honour to have known and lived such special moments alongside you.

    "When words fail, there are only inexpressible groans," he adds, and says he is praying for Jota's family and friends.

    Sadio Mane, who also played with Jota for a short spell at Anfield, posted a picture of the pair together on Instagram, accompanied by a broken heart symbol.

  15. Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich hold silent tribute for Jotapublished at 17:03 British Summer Time 3 July

    Players from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have held moments of silence in memory of Diogo Jota.

    The clubs are in the USA competing at the Club World Cup.

    Players pictured include several who have been club and international team-mates of Jota. PSG’s tribute was particularly moving, given the presence of four Portuguese players in their squad.

    Chelsea players and staffImage source, Chelsea via X
    Bayern players and staff holding a moment of silenceImage source, Bayern Munich via Instagram
    Madrid players and staff hold a moment of silenceImage source, Real Madrid via Instagram
    PSG players and staffImage source, PSG via X
  16. Latest images of crash site show scorched grass and debrispublished at 16:51 British Summer Time 3 July

    This incident took place late last night, but as the day's gone on we've seen images of what's thought to be the crash site.

    It sits in the middle of a busy dual carriageway on a section of grass dividing traffic coming from each way.

    The earth is scorched and piles of debris lie around.

    As Cristina García Casado reporter earlier from Zamora province, the brothers' bodies have already been moved and their families are due to formally identify them.

    A close up image of a car wreck, on burnt out grass and trees. There's a grey crash barrier in the background, and a large bit of curled metalImage source, Cesar Manso / AFP
    A wider view of a dual carriageway, showing lots of lorries driving next to the crash scene where cones border itImage source, Cesar Manso / AFP
    Green parts of a car and metal lie discarded in grass and brush by the side of a roadImage source, Cesar Manso / AFP
  17. 'He was part of the reason we won the league'published at 16:39 British Summer Time 3 July

    Kulsum Hafeji and Srosh Khan
    Reporting from Anfield

    Chole the one on the left and Courtney the one of the right.

    As Liverpool fans continue to gather outside Anfield to pay their respects, I've been speaking to one of them.

    Courtney Neary, 26, says: "He embodied what the club was, he always tried his hardest and had a laugh whilst doing it with his cheeky little celebrations.

    "He was part of the reason why we won the league and I hope we can win it next season for him."

    Chloe tells me Jota was a fan-favourite player, and a popular chant referencing his shirt number is "one of the best songs the Kop has ever sung".

    A video message recorded by Jota, in which he cheekily agreed with a vote crowning it Liverpool’s best, was widely shared in May.

    It was "a song of joy and triumph", she recalls.

    "It will ring around Anfield next season."

  18. Everything we know so farpublished at 16:31 British Summer Time 3 July

    Tributes continue to pour in after Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, died in a car crash in Spain.

    If you're just joining us, here's a reminder of what we know so far:

  19. 'We will never, ever forget you' - Elliottpublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 3 July

    Harvey Elliott and Diogo Jota share a hugeImage source, Getty Images

    Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott has paid tribute to Jota on his Instagram page: "Diogo, I can't believe you're gone. It's hard to put into words how much this hurts us.

    "You were an incredible footballer, the kind that made a difference every single time you stepped on the field. You were humble, hardworking, kind, and always there for anyone that needed anything.

    "I feel so lucky to have shared the pitch with you, shared memories and moments I'll carry with me forever. You'll always be part of this team, part of the Liverpool family. We will never, ever forget you.

    "My heart goes out to your whole family.

    "Love you brother.

    "Rest easy Diogo and Andre. You'll Never Walk Alone."

  20. Jota's first and last goals under Liverpool manager Arne Slotpublished at 16:17 British Summer Time 3 July

    Diogo Jota's first and last goals under Arne Slot proved to have extra significance in Liverpool's Premier League title charge.

    He kicked off the Dutchman's reign with the Reds' first league goal of last season, putting them on their way to an opening-day 2-0 win at Ipswich.

    Latching onto a pass from Mohamed Salah, Jota finished calmly beyond goalkeeper Christian Walton before running off to celebrate with what became a trademark chomping action with his arms.

    From August to April, Jota's 65th and final goal for the club proved to be a vital winner, at home to none other than Merseyside rivals Everton on 2 April. And what a goal it was.

    He collected a backheel from Luis Diaz before jinking past three Everton defenders and firing brilliant past Jordan Pickford in front of the Kop.

    The chant, "Oh he wears the number 20," echoed around Anfield.

    Media caption,

    Diogo Jota: Liverpool striker scores Merseyside derby winner against Everton