Diogo Jota funeral: Wife and family joined by Liverpool players for service

Diogo Jota's wife Rute Cardoso (C,R) and her sister as former teammates carry the coffin. Photograph: Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty Images

Diogo Jota’s wife and family have been joined by Liverpool players for the funeral of the footballer and his brother in Portugal, following their death in a car crash in Spain.

The father-of-three, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the crash, died alongside his brother, Andre Silva, after a Lamborghini they were travelling in burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The coffins of Jota and Silva were carried into Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church in the town of Gondomar near Porto on Saturday morning, followed by mourners.

A church bell tolled and crowds applauded as the brothers’ coffins were carried into the church, followed by mourners, some with their arms around each other.

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Others seen arriving at the church included Reds manager Arne Slot, captain Virgil van Dijk and team-mates including Andy Robertson, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez.

The Coffins of Diogo Jota And Andre Silva are carried by family, former teammates and friends into the Church. Photograph: Octavio Passos/Getty Images

Also at the funeral for the Portuguese international were his national team-mates Bruno Fernandes, of Manchester United; Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva, of Manchester City; Joao Felix and Renato Veiga, of Chelsea; Nelson Semedo, from Wolves; Joao Moutinho, Rui Patricio and Ruben Neves, as well as former Liverpool player Fabinho, Porto FC president Andre Villas-Boas and Portugal national team manager Roberto Martinez.

Some of the players carried wreaths shaped like football shirts as they arrived at the church.

Family and friends gathered for the brothers’ wake on Friday, with a queue forming outside the Portuguese chapel.

Mourners leave the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. Photograph: PA

The brothers’ parents attended the Sao Cosme Chapel, the Capela da Ressurreicao, in Gondomar, with Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and Jota’s agent also there.

People held service sheets featuring pictures of both brothers, the largest one showing Jota smiling in his Liverpool FC shirt and making a heart sign with his hands.

Liverpool FC postponed the return of their players for preseason following Jota’s death and players past and present paid tribute to him and his brother on social media.

A sea of floral tributes had been left outside Anfield, with many Liverpool fans and supporters of other clubs looking to pay their respects.

Flags have been lowered to half-mast at the stadium and all club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday, with staff offered wellbeing support.

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Jota and Silva were found dead after the car crashed on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday.

Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking, and a source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed “a possible speeding incident” was being looked at.

Manchester City's Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva (R) arrives for the funerals of Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. Photograph: Miguel Riopa/AFP/Getty Images

Pictures of the aftermath of the crash showed debris scattered along the side of the road including what appeared to be charred parts of the vehicle.

No other vehicles are said to have been involved in the incident. – PA

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