Key Points

"I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me from going back to Liverpool after the break. Teammates 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.

"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," posted Salah on social media.

As per a report by ESPN, the funeral will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time in the Portuguese town of Gondomar, after the bodies arrived in their hometown on Thursday. The funeral will be held at the Matriz de Gondomar church, located 33 kilometres from Porto. A wake will take place from 4 p.m. local time on Friday.

Jota, 28, was a key figure for both Portugal and Liverpool. Since joining the Premier League club in 2020, he has helped them win major trophies, including the Premier League, FA Cup, and two EFL Cups. In his time at Anfield, he scored 65 goals in 182 matches and was widely admired for his work ethic and ability to deliver in crucial moments.

For Portugal, Jota earned 49 caps and netted 14 goals. He was part of the squad that lifted the UEFA Nations League title in 2019 and again in 2025, when Portugal defeated Spain in the final. The forward had celebrated that victory with his teammates just weeks ago.

Teammate Endo Wataru also took to social media to reiterate the message relayed by the entire world - ‘You will never walk alone’

"Jots, I still can’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it. What a great player, what a great person you were. You will be remembered forever. My thoughts are with your wife, kids, and all family and friends. Love you, Jots. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. You will never walk alone," posted Endo on social media.

- IANS