United in grief for Diogo: Jota’s widow and teammates say farewell at heart-breaking funeral for tragic striker and his brother as Liverpool makes kind gesture to his family
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The grieving wife of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota has arrived ahead of his funeral in Portugal later today.
Rute Cardoso, who married the 28-year-old footballer less than a month before his tragic death alongside his brother Andre Silva on Thursday, appeared outside the church on Saturday ahead of the ceremony this morning.
The mother-of-three was seen hugging well wishers as she exited her car near the Chapel of the Resurrection, in Jota’s hometown of Gondomar, where the brothers’ coffins have been laid.
Just before 10am they will be carried from the chapel of rest to the front of the neighbouring Parochial Church of Gondomar.
Only family and friends will be allowed inside the church, however a livestream with audio of the service will be played outside to thousands of mourners who are expected to line the streets to pay their respects.
Current and former teammates of the Premier League star have been steadily arriving to the church this morning ahead of the service.
Liverpool teammates who arrived in the town last night, have also been seen attending the funeral today.
This included current captain Virgil Van Dijk, who held a flower arrangement in the shape of Diogo’s shirt with the number 20, and Andy Robertson, who carried a red shirt bearing Andre’s number 30.
In a heartwarming gesture, the Premier League club will reportedly pay the remainder of Jota’s contract to his family, as reported by Record. The Portugal international had two years remaining on his contract at Liverpool, which he signed in 2022.
The grieving wife of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota has arrived in his Portuguese hometown ahead of his funeral later today
The mother-of-three was seen hugging well wishers as she exited her car near the Chapel of the Resurrection
Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson arrive at the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva
Virgil Van Dijk, who held a flower arrangement in the shape of Diogo’s shirt with the number 20 and Andy Robertson, who carried a red shirt bearing Andre’s number 30
Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez (left) and Federico Chiesa (right) arrive for the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez (left), manager Arne Slot (centre) and midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (right) arrive for the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva
Curtis Jones (left) Jordan Henderson (third from left), James Milner (third from right) and Ryan Gravenberch (right) arrive at the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva
Jota’s Liverpool teammates arrive for his and his brother’s funeral in Gondomar
Manchester City defender Ruben Dias arrives at the funeral of his Portugal teammate Diogo Jota in the town of Gondomar near Porto
Dias wore all black as he carried a bouquet of flowers inside the church ahead of the ceremony
Former Liverpool player Fabinho arrives at the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva being held at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in the town of Gondomar
Thiago Alcantara, former football player, and his Wife Julia Vigas arrive at a funeral held for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva
Manchester City Bernardo Silva arrives for the funeral of his Portugal teammate Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva who both died on Thursday
Former Liverpool stars including Fabinho and Thiago as well as Portuguese teammates Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Nelson Semedo have also been seen making their way inside the church in Gondomar.
Yesterday, well wishers laid flowers at the wake for the brothers, which traditionally happens before the funeral in Portugal.
Several past and present players of the Premier League, who are attending the funeral today, were given a round of applause by local mourners as they passed through the streets to visit the chapel last night.
A handful of former Liverpool stars also made the trip, among them Brighton’s James Milner and Ajax’s Jordan Henderson.
The latter jetted to Portugal after paying a heartfelt tribute during a tearful return to Anfield earlier in the day.
Manchester United and Portugal player Bruno Fernandes arrives at the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar
Portugal’s national football team coach Roberto Martinez (left) arrives for the funerals of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at the Igrega Matriz de Gondomar
Diogo Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes arrives for the funeral of the Liverpool footballer at the Chapel of the Resurrection, in Gondomar
Former Portugal national team coach Fernando Santos (left) arrives at the Chapel of the Igrega Matriz de Gondomar on the day of the funeral ceremony of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva
Santos, who managed the Portuguese football team between 2014 and 2022, arrives at the Igrega Matriz de Gondomar on Saturday
Diogo Jota and Andre Silva’s grandfather arrives for the funeral of late Portugal’s players on Saturday
Chelsea and Portugal player Joao Felix arrives at the funeral of his national side teammate Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva
Portuguese player Nelson Semedo, who also played alongside Jota during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, arrives for the funeral of the late footballer and his brother
FC Porto’s Fabio Cardoso arrives for the funeral of late Portugal’s player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, in Gondomar
Media gather at the funeral of Diogo Jota being held at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar on Saturday
Mourners sobbed and carried roses and national team scarves in homage to Jota, who won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal less than a month ago, during a wake on Friday.
Aerial footage showed queues stretching from the small chapel, around the corner to the nearby church where his funeral will be held.
Jota’s heartbroken wife and parents gathered at the wake and held a vigil at the coffins of the former Wolves striker and his brother.
Rute Cardoso, who married the 28-year-old footballer on June 22, walked into the chapel in Gondomar after returning with her husband’s body from Spain on Thursday.
The city overlooking Porto is where the couple, who share three children, met and started dating as teenagers.
Diogo and Andre’s mother Isabel, father Joaquim and their grandfather were also emotional on arriving at the chapel.
Joaquim hugged several people and was supported by his brother and later raised a hand to mourners as he left with his wife. They returned around an hour later.
Liverpool teammates past and present flew to Portugal to pay their respects, including Virgil Van Dijk (left), Alexis Mac Allister (centre, with hands in pocket), Caoimhin Kelleher (third from right) and Andy Robertson (second from right)
Curtis Jones (left), Andy Robertson (second from left) and Jordan Henderson (right) are given a round of applause by locals as they passed through the streets of Gondomar to Jota’s wake
Current and former Liverpool players including Alexis Macallister (second from left), Jordan Henderson (centre) and Federico Chiesa (third from right) were also present
Liverpool star Darwin Nunez, a teammate of Diogo Jota, attends the wake with partner Lorena Manas
Manchester United and Portugal star Bruno Fernandes prepares to head into the chapel
Manchester City star Bernardo Silva (c), a fellow member of the Portuguese national team, arrives for Jota’s wake with wife Inês Tomaz (r)
Bernardo Silva (pictured) had previously paid his respects to his fallen teammate on social media, posting ‘Forever with us’ in Portuguese, followed by a heart emoji
Manchester City star also posted a photograph of him and Jota with their arm around each other
Portuguese football player and friend Jota Silva (c) who plays for the Premier League club Nottingham Forest, arrives with flowers at the chapel
Manchester United player and Jota’s Portugal teammate Diogo Dalot arrives at the wake looking pensive
Father-of-three Jota was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning along with his footballer brother Andre Silva, 25.
Their acid green 200mph £180,000 Lamborghini Huracan burst into flames after a suspected tyre blowout on the A-52 highway near Zamora in north-west Spain. No other vehicles were involved, police have said.
The brothers were on a road trip to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to catch a ferry to the UK after the Liverpool player and Portuguese international was advised not to travel by plane following lung surgery.
Jota and Andre’s funeral mass will take place in the neighbouring church at 10am today, with several current and former teammates of the two brothers set to attend.
