Tragic loss: Diogo Jota dies, minutes of silence at women's European Championships

Tragic loss: Diogo Jota dies, minutes of silence at women's European Championships

The football world is mourning Diogo Jota, Liverpool FC's popular Portuguese international, who tragically died in a car accident. The 28-year-old had an accident near Cernadilla on Highway 52 while traveling with his 26-year-old brother André Silva, a professional from the Portuguese second division club Penafiel. Both died in the accident when their sports car left the road and burst into flames. The rescue workers only found the two lifeless bodies at the scene of the accident, reports Wesermarsch district newspaper.

Amid this shocking news, UEFA announced that a minute's silence will be observed at all matches of the Women's European Championship, which began on Wednesday in Switzerland. This also applies to the games on Friday, including the eagerly awaited duel between the Portuguese women's national team and Spain. UEFA is honoring not only Jota, but also his brother, whose death hit the Portuguese football community hard.

A moment of silence

The Portuguese Football Association had asked UEFA for a minute's silence, which will now become an important part of the tournament. The first moment of silence will take place before the match between Belgium and Italy, followed by Portugal's match against Spain on Thursday. The women's national team will compete at 9 p.m. and many expect this to be a particularly emotional moment as there is great sadness for Jota.

Diogo Jota, who had almost 50 caps for Portugal, was not only an outstanding footballer but also a valued member of the community. Reactions to his death transcend national borders. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his concern and described the incident as “devastating”. Cristiano Ronaldo also sent warm words of sympathy to Jota's family. “We have to stand together,” he wrote on Instagram, sending a special thought to Jota’s widow and her three children.

Wave of sadness

The sadness for Jota is also shared by the players of the Swiss national team, including Xherdan Shaqiri, as well as numerous fans and former Liverpool FC players, such as Jamie Carragher and Ian Rush. Flowers were laid outside Anfield Stadium to show sympathy. Portugal's Prime Minister Luís Montenegro spoke of a deeply tragic loss for the entire football scene. It is clear that the deaths of Jota and his brother have shocked the entire nation as the football community pulls together in these difficult times, reports Picture.

The shockwave caused by the loss of Jota is not just a loss for the sport, but for everyone who respects and loves football. 20 minutes aptly describes that the Portuguese football community is devastated. The sporting and human loss will certainly remain anchored in people's hearts for a long time.