Liverpool have demonstrated their class by committing to pay the remainder of Diogo Jota's contract earnings to his family following his tragic death. The forward, 28, and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash on July 3, just 11 days after Jota's wedding.
The accident occurred in the Spanish province of Zamora while Jota was driving to a port in Santander for pre-season training. His Lamborghini Huracan suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking, causing the car to skid and crash. Jota, who would have turned 29 on Thursday, had two years left on his £140,000-a-week contract.
Manager Arne Slot confirmed the gesture, praising the club's owners, Fenway Sports Group. 'Owners are mainly criticised, like managers, but the way they've handled this situation by paying his wife and his children all the money from the contract is...maybe people think it's normal, but it is not in football,' he told TNT Sports in September.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances, helping the club win the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup. As a lasting tribute, Liverpool permanently retired his No. 20 shirt across all teams in July.
Jota and his brother were laid to rest in their Portuguese hometown of Gondomar. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, a close friend, attended the funeral. Robertson paid tribute, saying: 'He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real.'
