By Sami Quadri
The grieving widow of Liverpool star Diogo Jota arrived at a church in Portugal on Saturday ahead of the footballer’s funeral following his tragic death in a car crash.
Rute Cardoso, who married the 28-year-old less than a month ago, was visibly emotional as she appeared outside the church in Gondomar this morning ahead of the 10am service. Jota and his brother Andr茅 Silva died on Thursday when their 拢180,000 Lamborghini Huracan burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout near Zamora in north-west Spain.
Several current Liverpool stars touched down in Jota鈥檚 hometown on Friday to pay respects. Players including Virgil van Dijk, Alexis Mac Allister, Andy Robertson, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa, goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and manager Arne Slot were applauded by local mourners as they walked through the streets to visit the Chapel of the Resurrection, where the bodies of Jota and his brother lay at rest overnight.
A handful of former Liverpool teammates also made the emotional trip, among them Brighton鈥檚 James Milner and Ajax鈥檚 Jordan Henderson. Henderson, who captained Jota following the forward鈥檚 arrival at Anfield in September 2020, had earlier paid tribute during a tearful return to Anfield before jetting to Portugal.
Henderson had been left devastated by the news, the pair having quickly formed a close friendship during their time together on Merseyside.
Other Premier League stars paying tribute include Manchester City鈥檚 Bernardo Silva, Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot and Nottingham Forest鈥檚 Jota Silva, all of whom have arrived ahead of today鈥檚 service.
On Friday night, aerial footage captured long queues of mourners stretching from the small chapel to the nearby church where today鈥檚 funeral service will be held.
Many sobbed openly while clutching roses and national team scarves in homage to Jota, who had celebrated Portugal鈥檚 UEFA Nations League victory less than a month ago.
Family members, including Jota鈥檚 parents Isabel and Joaquim, were seen comforting one another at a vigil held beside the coffins of the footballer and his brother. Joaquim hugged friends and family, later raising a hand to acknowledge mourners as he departed alongside his wife, before returning around an hour later.
Jota鈥檚 wife Rute had previously travelled with his body from Spain back to Gondomar on Thursday. The city, which overlooks Porto, is where the couple met as teenagers and began their relationship. They share three young children.
Local priest Father Macedo said: “We鈥檙e available to celebrate [their life] with everyone and to share the pain and the Christian hope.”