Liverpool mourns Diogo Jota: footballer dies with brother in Spanish car crash

Liverpool players arrived in Diogo Jota’s hometown to attend the funeral of their Liverpool teammate and his brother Andre Silva on Saturday morning.

The 28-year-old and his brother were killed in the early hours of Thursday morning when their Lamborghini crashed in Zamora, northwestern Spain.

A wake for the brothers took place on Friday with their funeral taking place at 10am this morning at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church, approximately 16km inland from Porto in their hometown of Gondomar.

A delegation of Liverpool players and staff were pictured arriving at the church with Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson carrying wreaths for their teammate.

Darwin Nunez was also in attendance along with former Liverpool teammates Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho.

Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson arrive at the funeral of Diogo Jota (Picture: EPA)

Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes were also among the large Portugal national team contingent paying their respects, joining Diogo and Andre’s family inside the church.

Two coffins arrived at the church just after 10am for the start of the funeral mass.

Liverpool did confirmed any arrangements but local reports suggest the club chartered a flight to Portugal on Friday.

Many of Liverpool’s players were still on summer holiday with their planned return to Merseyside for the start of pre-season training now postponed.

Fabinho and Thiago also in attendance (Picture: EPA)

Liverpool stars have made moving personal tributes to Jota following Thursday’s tragic news with Mohamed Salah ‘frightened’ to return to Liverpool after the devastating loss.

Nunez, Jota’s Liverpool teammate, attended the wake (Picture: Getty Images)

Man Utd’s Diogo Dalot in attendance at the wake (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break,’ he wrote/

‘Team mates come and go but not like this. It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back.

Henderson laid flowers at Anfield before flying to Portugal (Picture: Getty Images)

‘My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children.

‘Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten.’

Liverpool make incredible gesture to Jota family

Liverpool have already suggested they will retire Jota’s no20 shirt with reports in Portugal claiming the club have already made the decision to pay out the remaining two years of the player’s contract to his family.

Record report Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso, who he married just 11 days before his death, and their three young children will receive the value of his remaining contract.

Moving tributes at Anfield since the tragic news broke (Picture: Getty Images)

Tributes around the world for Jota

Football matches across the world have been marked by a minute’s silence ahead of kick-off in memory of Jota and his brother.

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto and Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves of Al-Hilal are competing in the Club World Cup matches in the United States, fighting through tears as they remembered their Portugal teammate.

Portugal’s opening match of the women’s European Championship also struck a poignant tone with players linking arms in silence.

Away from football, Oasis kicked off their reunion tour in Cardiff on Friday night with an image of Jota displayed during their hit song Live Forever.