A bishop delivered a heartwrenching message to Diogo Jota’s three young children during the late football star’s funeral.
Thousands of mourners gathered in Gondomar, Portugal, to pay their respects to the Liverpool forward, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 26, who tragically died in a car crash on Thursday (July 3).
The brothers were traveling to Santander to catch a ferry back to the UK when their Lamborghini Huracan, reportedly due to a suspected tire blowout, veered off the A-52 highway near Zamora, Spain, and burst into flames.
Jota had recently undergone lung surgery and had been advised not to fly.
The tragedy took place just 11 days after Jota married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three young children: Dinis, four, Duarte, two, and baby Mafalda, eight months old.
Dressed in white and clutching a cream-colored rose, Cardoso placed her hand on her husband’s casket as it was carried into Igreja Matriz de Gondomar, supported by family during the emotional service.
Only family and friends were permitted inside, but many lined the streets holding roses and national team scarves, with a livestream of the service playing outside.
The funeral, which began with the Lord’s Prayer, was led by D. Manuel Linda, the Bishop of Porto, who delivered an emotional message to Jota’s children. “Dear Dinis, Mafalda, and Duarte, children who are not here. At this moment you are suffering immensely or perhaps not because you do not realize it. I will pray a lot for you,” he said, cited by the Daily Mail.
“The ones who suffer a lot are your mother and your grandparents. Seeing the mortal remains of a child must be a greater torment, but when there are two urns there are no words. But there are feelings. We are here to say that we also suffered a lot. We are here with you emotionally.”
The Bishop added: “If it is difficult to see an adult cry, it is even more difficult to see a child cry. I send you a special greeting for your mother and grandparents. I am with you but Jesus is also with you.”
Hymns including 'The Lord is My Shepherd,' 'Hallelujah,' and 'Ave Maria' filled the church, while an organist played Bach’s 'Air On A G String'.
As the coffins were carried out, guests comforted each other, with Cardoso holding the back of Jota’s coffin while supporters applauded softly.
The brothers were laid to rest less than 100 meters away in the church cemetery, surrounded by olive trees.
Liverpool teammates including Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott traveled to Gondomar, with Van Dijk carrying a flower arrangement shaped like Jota’s number 20 shirt and Robertson holding a red shirt with Andre’s number 30.
Portugal teammates Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Ruben Neves attended, with Neves serving as a pallbearer.
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez reflected on the tragedy, stating, “These are really, really sad days, as you can imagine. But today we showed we are a large, close family. We are Portugal, and it was essential for us that for Andre Silva and Diogo Jota, we are together and we will always be together.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently played alongside Jota during Portugal’s Nations League victory last month, shared on Instagram: “It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married. To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.”
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, currently on international duty, also expressed his grief, writing: “Usually, I post things that make sense, but today, nothing makes sense! Once again, an ocean separates me from 'saying goodbye' to someone I love... To you, my friend @rutecfcardoso14, just know that you will never walk alone.”
Outside of Anfield, supporters laid flowers and scarves in Jota’s memory, while Liverpool Football Club shared that they were devastated by the loss of their forward, who helped the club win the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup after joining from Wolves in 2020.
In a gesture of solidarity, the club will reportedly pay the remainder of Jota’s contract to his family, ensuring support for his wife and children as they navigate the unimaginable loss of a husband and father taken too soon.