Luis Diaz has stated that he broke down in tears upon listening to of the demise of Diogo Jota and recalled a ‘very good’ gesture from his Liverpool teammate two years in the past.
The Portuguese ahead and his brother Andre Silva had been killed in a automotive crash in northern Spain within the early hours of Thursday morning, with their funeral happening of their hometown close to Porto on Saturday.
The Colombia worldwide was unable to attend that service however has paid an emotional tribute to the Reds’ quantity 20.
Diaz pays tribute to Diogo Jota
Chatting with Win Sports activities in regards to the tragedy, Diaz stated: “Clearly it’s very laborious. It’s very laborious to search out out about information like that, isn’t it? The very first thing you do whenever you get up is to take a look at the information, which may be very unhappy due to what occurred, truthfully.
“The household amongst us, it caught us all off guard and I don’t suppose anybody is ready for that type of information. A team-mate, instrumental in my arrival in Liverpool as a result of his household welcomed me, he welcomed me and we grew to become nice pals. We had an ideal, wholesome rivalry and he was vital. We at all times agree on many issues.
“I simply wish to want him quite a lot of energy, give quite a lot of energy to his household, to his spouse, to his youngsters that he left behind, as a result of the reality is that they have to be struggling quite a bit from this horrible information. It was unbelievable once I awoke and noticed the information. The reality is I broke down in tears. It as a really, very, very huge ache.”
Picture by way of Liverpool FC on YouTube
Diaz additionally recalled how, after scoring in opposition to Nottingham Forest in October 2023, Jota held up his quantity 7 shirt at Anfield when the Colombian’s father had been in captivity throughout a harrowing kidnap ordeal.
The 28-year-old stated: “I keep in mind that he had a really, very good gesture in the direction of me and that’s at all times going to stick with me. I simply wish to inform him to relaxation in peace, that I’ll carry an ideal pal with me in my coronary heart who will at all times be remembered by his crew, by his household, by his pals and by everybody he left behind.”
Jota’s gesture for Diaz says a lot about him as an individual
Jota had been at Liverpool for nearly 18 months – and in English soccer for four-and-a-half years – when Diaz joined from Porto in January 2022, and his heat in welcoming the Colombian will little question have helped him to settle in on Merseyside.
He was evidently touched by the aforementioned gesture from his teammate within the aforementioned Forest sport, a second of real class which speaks volumes for Diogo’s character.
Eulogies from two former Wolves teammates in Conor Coady (‘unbelievable human being’) and Ruben Neves (‘greater than a friendship, we’re household’) additionally attest to the type of individual that the Reds’ quantity 20 was, as does Arne Slot’s description of him as somebody ‘who by no means sought recognition however discovered it anyway’.
That was Diogo Jota – a modest, humble household man who endeared himself to everybody round him, and to supporters of the golf equipment that he represented with distinction.
At this extraordinarily unhappy time, our ideas are with the household and pals of him and Andre, in addition to their teammates who’re attempting to come back to phrases with such a heartbreaking loss.
