Crowds mourn Liverpool star Jota in his Portuguese hometown

 

Portuguese national team player André Silva was among footballers and politicians to attend the public wake in Gondomar

 Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who both died in a car accident on Thursday, were honored by large crowds in his hometown. Portugal's president, stars from the national team and fans from across the country gathered in the small town of Gondomar, on the outskirts of Porto, where the pair grew up.

 Before the wake was open to the public, their parents, grandfather, and other family members held a private vigil at a town chapel. Saturday will be the day of the funeral. The pair - both footballers, with André playing in Portugal's second division - were killed after the Lamborghini they were travelling in crashed in the Spanish province of Zamora.

 As they waited in line to pay their respects, mourning fans were seen waving Portugal flags, flowers, and other memorabilia. Those in attendance included President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, national team stars João Moutinho, Diogo Dalot and Ricardo Horta, and Jota's agent Jorge Mendes.

 Jota was a young boy who played for the local club Gondomar SC for a long time. In 2022, the club named its academy after him. Emblazoned on its sign is a quote from Jota: "It's not about where we come from but where we're going to."

 A ring of candles contained shirts and scarves outside the club. Getty Images A man stands in front of a memorial erected at the stadium of the Gondomar Sport Clube in honor of Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota. 

Just 11 days prior to the fatal crash, the 28-year-old father of three tied the knot with his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had won the Premier League and Nations League this year. He had been travelling back to Liverpool for pre-season training, making the trip by car and ferry because he had undergone minor surgery and had been advised against flying.

 Liverpool said his death was a "tragedy that transcends" the club.

 Fans also grieved outside the club's Anfield stadium.

 Former captain Jordan Henderson was seen in tears as he laid a wreath, with a card that read: "Rest in peace my friend, along with your brother André.  You will be missed by everyone." There was also a touching moment at Oasis's reunion gig on Friday evening when Jota's image appeared on screen at the end of Live Forever, prompting applause around Cardiff's Principality Stadium.

 Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah admitted he was dreading returning to the club in the wake of Jota's shock death.

 "I truly have no words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break," Salah wrote in a post on social media.

 A delegation from Liverpool's city rival club Everton - including Portugal-born strikers Beto and Youssef Chermiti - also attended and left flowers outside Anfield.

 Peter Millea, a home and away regular who was visiting to pay his respects, told the BBC, "There was something about him as a player when he first came to us that he became an instant hit." He was a former Liverpool councillor. PA Media Tributes at Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool, in memory of Diogo Jota who has died at the age of 28. PA Media

 "Due to the manner in which he conducted himself on and off the pitch and the significant goals he scored, he was one of those players you can easily take to," Mr Millea said some fans at Anfield had broken into impromptu renditions of the chant while paying their respects.

 "I'm sure we'll hear it loud and clear at Wembley for the Community Shield and we'll hear it at Preston for the first pre-season away game, you know it'll be sung around the field against Athletic Bilbao and then during the course of the rest of the season and probably forever-more," he said.

 Outside Wolves' Molineux Stadium, where Jota played prior to his move to Anfield, fans left shirts, scarves, and flowers. At Wimbledon, Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon to mark the passing of his countrymen.

 A minute's silence was held in the Women's Euro 2025 game between Denmark and Sweden.

 Liverpool has cancelled pre-season fitness tests that were due to take place today for some players as a result of yesterday's news.  Training will now resume in stages starting on Monday. The funeral service will be held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme in Gondomar at 10:00 on Saturday.