Mourners are set to gather to honour Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, a local parish priest has said. The 28-year-old father of three died in a car crash in Spain alongside his brother Andre Silva after their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout.
The pair were found dead following the crash on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday. Jota had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days before the fatal accident.
Wake arrangements confirmed
Jose Manuel Macedo, parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, told PA that a wake for the brothers will take place at 8am at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao. Their funeral will be held at the Igreja Matriz on Saturday at 10am.
Tributes from the football world flooded in for the Portuguese forward on Thursday. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said the "sense of shock is absolute" for the club, describing Jota as "not just our player" but "a loved one to all of us".
Manager's emotional tribute
"I could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it," Slot said. "Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool player should be."
Slot revealed that the last time they spoke, he wished Jota luck for his upcoming wedding. "In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this," he added.
Liverpool opens condolence books
The club has opened physical and digital books of condolence following the deaths. Supporters and members of the public can visit the Anfield Road Stand reception area over the coming days to sign a message.
Flags have been lowered to half-mast at the stadium and all club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday. Staff have been offered wellbeing support during this difficult time.
Investigation underway
Police are investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking. A source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed "a possible speeding incident" was being looked at, though no other vehicles were involved.
Pictures of the aftermath showed debris scattered along the roadside including charred parts of the vehicle. Liverpool fans began leaving tributes outside Anfield on Thursday morning, with flowers and messages including "Thanks for everything, Diogo".
Football world mourns
Jota joined the Merseyside club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, winning three major trophies during his time at Liverpool. Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota's family "all the strength in the world".
In a translated Instagram message, Ronaldo wrote: "Doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married." The Prince of Wales, patron of the FA, said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of Jota's death.
Family life remembered
Jota and his wife got together in 2013 and have three children together - two sons and a daughter born in November. He frequently shared pictures of his family on Instagram, whilst his wife posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland.
On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso posted video footage of their wedding with the caption: "A day we will never forget." The couple also owned three pet beagles and had built a life together over more than a decade.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
