Liverpool Football Club experienced a somber yet uplifting moment during their first friendly match following the tragic death of player Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, in a car accident in Spain on July 3. The spectacular match, played at Deepdale, was the perfect opportunity to remember Jota’s legacy and what he has done for his club and the community.
Through its magnificent gesture of solidarity and respect, Liverpool has truly made a more powerful statement. As a tribute, they’ve permanently retired Jota’s number 20 shirt across all levels of the club. This ruling, while indicating the high value of Jota’s service to Liverpool, celebrates his life and legacy as a favorite Coot and acclimates him to Titians.
Prior to the match starting, fans were treated to a pre-match presentation which included emotional written tributes to both Jota and Silva. As the Liverpool fans draped in flags and banners chanted Jota’s name, they were starting an emotional choreography. As her powerful rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” filled the stadium, it connected every fan and every player in solidarity and remembrance.
As an additional mark of respect, Preston captain Ben Whiteman independently laid a wreath in front of the Liverpool supporters. The significance of the moment was amplified by a minute’s silence, during which digital tributes were displayed on the stadium’s big screen and pitchside LED boards, honoring the lives lost.
The game itself was more than a loving tribute to the community. The game was a visual demonstration of that very resilience. Liverpool won their match, going away to Preston for a convincing 3-1 win. Conor Bradley, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo scored the goals that paved the way to victory. In different ways, each player honored Jota’s legacy. With Bradley searching for answers and looking skywards as he retreated to his line, Nunez did two of Jota’s trademark celebrations to the travelling Kop while Gakpo flashed up the number 20 with his hands.
Despite not participating in the game, key players such as Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz were present to honor their teammate.
In scary moments, Liverpool’s manager Jürgen Klopp thought back to how his team persevered through the challenges in this tough time. He stated,
“Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not.” – Slot
He further expressed the difficulty in finding appropriate words to address the situation:
“It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate for what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?” – Slot
In response to this tragedy, he emphasized the importance of staying true to oneself:
“And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself… So let us try to be ourselves as well.” – Slot
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