Liverpool players have begun returning to pre-season training, days after the tragic death of their teammate Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car accident alongside his younger brother, Andre Silva.
The first group of players had originally been scheduled to report back to the AXA Training Centre last Friday following their summer break. However, those plans were postponed in the wake of the devastating news that Jota, 28, and Andre, 25, had died in a road accident while travelling to England.
Jota had been advised by doctors not to fly due to a recent minor surgical procedure, and was making his way back to Liverpool via car and ferry when the accident occurred.
In a show of unity and mourning, a large contingent of Liverpool players and staff travelled to Portugal to pay their respects. A public wake was held on Friday in the brothers’ hometown of Gondomar, where hundreds of fans and mourners gathered. The funeral followed on Saturday, with emotional scenes as Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and defender Andy Robertson carried floral tributes on behalf of the squad.
Manager Arne Slot, who has just taken charge at Anfield, also attended the services alongside several members of his backroom staff. Liverpool’s first pre-season fixture is scheduled for Sunday, 13 July, against Preston North End at Deepdale.
Tributes have continued to pour in from across the football world. Outside Anfield, a growing memorial has taken shape, with flowers, scarves, and personal notes left in Jota’s honour. Liverpool Women’s players Grace Fisk and Gemma Bonner visited the site on Tuesday, laying a floral tribute on behalf of their team.
Jota’s former club Wolves has also seen an outpouring of grief, with supporters visiting Molineux to pay tribute to the Portuguese forward, who joined Liverpool from the Midlands club in 2020. Memorials have also appeared in Gondomar, including outside the football academy where Jota began his career, a facility that now bears his name.
A large mural featuring Jota as both a child in his local club’s yellow kit and as a Portugal international now adorns the wall of the academy, symbolising the pride and inspiration he brought to his hometown.
As Liverpool gradually resumes preparations for the new season, the loss of Diogo Jota casts a long and emotional shadow over the club and its supporters.
