Diogo Jota funeral: Liverpool players arrive in Portugal to join mourners

Liverpool players and staff past and present arrived in Portugal to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota following his death in a car crash in Spain.

Liverpool first-team manager Arne Slot, club captain Virgil van Dijk, defender Andrew Robertson, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and former teammates Jordan Henderson and James Milner were among those in Portugal on Friday evening in footage broadcast on local Portuguese media.

Jota, 28, was killed along with his younger brother Andre Silva, 25, after a Lamborghini they were travelling in burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout in the early hours of Thursday morning in Zamora, north-west Spain.

The players, who also included Curtis Jones, Federico Chiesa, Wataru Endo and former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, arrived at the Portuguese chapel to applause from crowds standing nearby.

The funeral is set to begin at 10am on Saturday, according to parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, Jose Manuel Macedo.

It comes after family and friends gathered for the brothers’ wake on Friday, with a queue forming outside the Portuguese chapel.

The brothers’ parents attended the Sao Cosme Chapel, the Capela da Ressurreicao, in the town of Gondomar near Porto on Friday, with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and Jota’s agent also among attendees.

People held service sheets featuring pictures of both brothers, the largest one showing Jota smiling in his Liverpool shirt and making a heart sign with his hands.

Liverpool postponed the return of players for pre-season following Jota’s death, as a number of players past and present paid tribute.

Liverpool Football Club have opened physical and digital books of condolence for supporters to pay tribute to Jota, who joined the club in 2020 from Wolves for €44.7 million.

Fans flocked have been flocking to Anfield since the new of Jota's death to lay scarves, wreaths and floral tributes.

Flags have been lowered to half-mast at Anfield, the club said on its website. All club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday July 7 and staff have been offered wellbeing support, should they need it, a statement read.

Jota made 182 appearances, scoring 65 goals and providing 26 assists during his five years on Merseyside.

He was a key part of the Liverpool squad that secured a record-equalling 20th English title last season under Arne Slot. He was also part of the club's 2022 FA Cup and League Cup-winning sides under previous head coach Jurgen Klopp.

Jota and Silva were both found dead after the car crashed on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday.

Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking, and a source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed “a possible speeding incident” was being looked at.

Pictures of the aftermath of the crash showed debris scattered along the side of the road including what appeared to be charred parts of the vehicle.

No other vehicles are said to have been involved in the incident.

Jota is survived by his wife Rute Cardoso, whom he only married in Porto 11 days before his death, and their three children.