Deepdale Stadium was filled with heartfelt tributes today as Liverpool played their first friendly since the tragic deaths of star forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
The brothers died in a car crash on July 3rd in Spain.
Before kick-off, a visibly emotional Preston captain Ben Whiteman laid a wreath as “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” were sung.
An impeccably observed minute’s silence followed, with the away end, adorned with flags and scarves, loudly singing Jota’s song, echoed again in the 20th minute—a nod to his squad number.
On the pitch, Liverpool players honored their teammates with poignant gestures.
Conor Bradley looked to the heavens after scoring, while Darwin Nunez performed two of Jota’s signature celebrations. Cody Gakpo, after netting the third in a 3-1 win, held up his fingers to signify the number 20.
The match programme featured Jota on the cover, and Liverpool announced on Friday that Jota’s number 20 shirt would be retired across all areas of the club.
Head coach Arne Slot addressed the team’s grief: “If we want to laugh, we laugh; if we want to cry, we’re going to cry… We will always carry him with us in our hearts.”
Jota was a crucial player, scoring 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, contributing to their FA Cup, League Cup, and Premier League titles. He also scored 14 goals in 49 international appearances for Portugal.
Thousands of Liverpool fans traveled to Deepdale to mourn and show support. Many, like Jane, felt “very proud of my team and all the tributes.”
