Hundreds gathered outside the Igreja Matriz in Gondomar, Portugal, as family members and footballers joined in mourning the loss of Diogo Jota, 28, and his younger brother André Silva, 25. The two were killed in a car accident in Spain on Thursday, when their vehicle reportedly veered off the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking.
Maria Rodrigues reacts as pallbearers carry a coffin, at the funeral ceremony of her late husband Andre Silva, brother of Liverpool’s Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota, who both died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, at the Chapel of the Resurrection, in Gondomar, Portugal, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Liverpool teammates including Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were among the pallbearers, carrying floral tributes shaped like football shirts bearing the brothers’ numbers, 20 and 30.
Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool’s player Andrew Robertson arrive on the day of the funeral ceremony of Liverpool’s Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, near the Chapel of the Resurrection, in Gondomar, Portugal, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
They were joined by Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Núñez, and Ibrahima Konaté, as well as Liverpool manager Arne Slot and CEO Michael Edwards.
Mourners comfort each other at the funeral ceremony of Liverpool’s Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, at the Chapel of the Resurrection in Gondomar, Portugal, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Rita Franca
Prominent figures from the Portuguese national team and European football also travelled to Gondomar to pay their respects. Manchester City’s Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Chelsea forward João Félix, and national team head coach Roberto Martínez were all present.
Portuguese soccer player Bernardo Silva arrives on the day of the funeral ceremony of Liverpool’s Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, near the Chapel of the Resurrection, in Gondomar, Portugal, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Rita Franca
Portuguese soccer player Ruben Dias attends the funeral ceremony of Liverpool’s Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, at the Chapel of the Resurrection in Gondomar, Portugal, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Rita Franca
Jota, who was returning to Liverpool for pre-season training by car and ferry due to a recent minor surgery, had just married his long-time partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the crash. The couple shared three young children.
A private burial followed the church service, with mourners later filing past the brothers’ graves, adorned with the red jersey-shaped flower arrangements. A message from Liverpool Football Club was placed beside them, ending with the words: “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
A fan shows a banner as they line up to enter at a church where the bodies of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and André Silva have been brought for a wake and funeral in Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, on Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Remembering André Silva
Though not as internationally known as his brother, André Silva was also pursuing a professional football career. Once part of FC Porto’s youth system, he had been playing in Portugal’s second division.
Diogo Jota had previously named his younger brother as his favourite footballer—an answer he gave with pride and immediacy when asked. Despite not earning a national cap, Silva was widely respected within Portuguese football circles.
FC Porto released a tribute following the news of his death, sharing images from Silva’s early days in their youth academy.
Club president André Villas-Boas also attended the funeral, underlining Silva’s lasting connection to the club.
FC Porto president Andre Villas-Boas attends the funeral ceremony of Liverpool’s Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, at the Chapel of the Resurrection in Gondomar, Portugal, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Rita Franca
