Emotional tributes as Portugal honors late Diogo Jota

"Of course, if we had the possibility to change everything, we would change everything for sure. But this is a hard day for us."

Portugal's national football team paid emotional tributes to Diogo Jota during their Euro 2025 opener against Spain, following the tragic death of the Liverpool forward and his brother in a car accident.

Tragic News Shocks Football World

Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in the early hours of Thursday morning when their Lamborghini crashed in Spain's Zamora province. The shocking news cast a shadow over Portugal's tournament debut.

Emotional Pre-Match Tributes

The match in Bern began with poignant moments of remembrance:

• A heartfelt rendition of Portugal's national anthem
• A minute's silence observed impeccably by players and fans
• Black-and-white images of Jota displayed on stadium screens
• Both teams wearing black armbands as a mark of respect

Portugal forward Jessica Silva expressed the team's grief: "It was a really tough day to play football. This life is much more than a game, much more than football. Everyone is sad - my heart is heavy with things much more important than playing a game."

Coach Neto's Emotional Tribute

Portugal manager Francisco Neto, visibly emotional during the silence, described Jota as a devoted supporter of Portuguese football: "Diogo followed our team because he loved the country. He always knew our results and supported our players - this is the culture we have in Portugal."

Neto, who first met Jota while coaching at under-19 level, added: "Today is a really sad day because two of us lost our lives. So young. It is not a good day."

Player Tributes and Fan Reactions

Portugal winger Silva posted a heartfelt message on social media: "Diogo wasn't just a great player. He was one of the good ones - loyal, thoughtful, humble. Football is poorer without him, and so are we."

After the match, the Portugal squad displayed a banner reading: "Thank you for everything Diogo Jota, rest in peace" - reflecting the somber mood in the camp.

Portugal fans in Bern shared their grief:

• Melanie, a ticket holder, said: "I can't explain it - as soon as I heard I started crying. He was so young with three children and a new marriage."
• Another fan named Diogo added: "This hurts a lot. He was the new golden generation of Portugal. We will miss him."

Jota's Legacy

The 27-year-old forward made his senior debut for Portugal in 2019, scoring 14 goals in 49 appearances. He was part of two Nations League-winning squads, with his most recent triumph coming just last month.

Portugal's Diana Silva remembered him: "As a person he was very humble and kind. He always supported us and meant a lot to our team. He's one of us, so we're all feeling this deeply."

Jota had recently married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, sharing wedding photos on social media. The couple had three children together.

Despite the emotional tributes, Portugal suffered a 5-0 defeat to tournament favorites Spain in their opening match.