Jordan Henderson made a tearful return to Anfield on Friday as he joined mourners paying their respects to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
Henderson was Jota’s captain when the Portuguese arrived in September 2020, the pair quickly developing a close friendship, and the England international was left in a state of disbelief by the news of the car crash that claimed the lives of Jota and Silva.
Jota died alongside his brother when his Lamborghini had a tyre blow out while overtaking another vehicle on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora – just ten miles over the border from Portugal.
The car is said to have rolled and burst into flames, with emergency services unable to save the footballing duo. Jota’s brother, Andre Silva, 26, played for Portuguese second division side Penafiel.
Jota and Silva were headed to Santander to catch a ferry to Britain after Diogo was advised not to fly following lung surgery, it was reported in his home country.
His death, which cast clouds of sorrow over the footballing world, came just two weeks after he married his girlfriend and mother of their three kids Rute Cardoso in Porto, his home city.
Ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson fights back tears as he pays his respects to Diogo Jota
He laid flowers and a Liverpool scarf in memory of his old team-mate who died on Thursday
Henderson was Jota’s captain at Liverpool for three seasons following his arrival from Wolves
There has been an outpouring of grief for Jota in Liverpool, Wolverhampton and his hometown of Gondomar, where the brothers’ funeral will take place today – the ramifications of this tragedy will be felt for the foreseeable future.
Liverpool have vowed to immortalise the number 20 shirt amid calls from supporters for it to be retired, opened books of condolence yesterday, which fans queued for up to 45 minutes to sign.
Henderson posted his message before leaving a floral tribute, a bouquet of red roses; he sank to his haunches to take in all the tributes for Jota. He was visibly heartbroken.
‘I really can’t believe what has happened,’ Henderson, who now plays for Ajax, said on Instagram. ‘All I can think about is Diogo and Andre’s family. It’s unimaginable the pain you must all be suffering.
All of our prayers, love and support are with you now and forever. It was a pleasure to share a pitch with you but, more importantly, a friendship. You always wanted to have a laugh, you were a pleasure to be around.
‘Thank you for everything you brought into this world. We will all miss you.’
All manner of shirts from rival clubs have been left amongst the thousands of bouquets and balloons and the solemnity of the scene has been profound. There was a round of applause when a delegation from Everton, headed by ambassador Ian Snodin and players Beto and Youssel Chermiti, left their tribute.
Those who knew him and those who adored him from afar have been struggling to describe their feelings. There is no question next Tuesday, when the Champions are due to return to their training base in Kirkby, will be a hugely difficult day.
The pair won two major trophies during the three years they spent together at Anfield
Current captain Virgil van Dijk penned a heartfelt tribute to Jota after his team-mate’s death
‘I’m truly lost for words,’ Mo Salah posted on Instagram. ‘Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after a break. Team mates come and go but not like this. It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back.
‘My thoughts are with his wife, his children and, of course, his parents who suddenly lost their children. Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten.’
Current Reds skipper Virgil van Dijk promised to always be available for his family in a moving statement saying he was ‘absolutely devastated and in total disbelief’ to lose his team-mate of five years.
‘What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man,’ Van Dijk wrote on Instagram.
‘You meant so much to all of us and you always will! For your family to lose two sons, a husband and a father is just unimaginable. So cruel and unfair.
‘My heart is breaking for all of your beautiful family, for Rute and for your kids. I promise you that in these difficult times and beyond we will always be there for your family.
‘A champion forever, number 20 forever. It’s been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it.
‘We will miss you beyond words and never forget you. Your legacy will live on, we will make sure of it! Rest in perfect peace Diogo & Andre.’
The Reds star and his brother Andre died on Thursday following a crash in northwestern Spain
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Elsewhere, Liverpool defender Andy Robertson, who forged an incredible connection with the forward during their five years together at Anfield and was also present at Jota’s wedding almost two weeks ago, wrote: ‘The ones I’m thinking about most right now are the family.
‘Their loss is too much to bear. I’m so sorry that they have lost two such precious souls – Diogo and Andre.
‘For the team and the Club, we’ll try to cope with this together… however long that takes. For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy.
‘I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It’s the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real.
‘Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun. He was the most British foreign player I’ve ever met. We used to joke he was really Irish… I’d try to claim him as Scottish, obviously. I even called him Diogo MacJota.
‘We’d watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing. Going to Cheltenham this season was a highlight – one of the best we had. The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family.
‘I can’t believe we’re saying goodbye. It’s too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better. Love you, Diogo.’
Jota’s untimely death sent shockwaves through the footballing world on Thursday. Throughout the day, back in Liverpool, fans gathered in their hundreds to lay and pay their own tributes to the 28-year-old.
Jota played 182 games for Liverpool and was part of the Premier League title-winning squad from last season under Arne Slot.
One group of fans gathered to sing Liverpool’s traditional ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ song, aiming it at the forward, while another striking image showed two men – one in a Liverpool shirt and one an Everton shirt – walking with flowers to lay them down.
