Following the tragic passing of Liverpool and Portugal attacker Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, the Portugal women`s national team paid tribute to them. The Portuguese women`s team is competing against Spain in the UEFA Women`s Euro group stage opener on Thursday. As the news of Jota and his brother`s death in a car accident deeply affected the football community, a tribute was organized. The team wore black armbands during the match, and a minute of silence is also scheduled to be held at all UEFA Women`s Euro matches on Thursday and Friday to commemorate them.
Reactions from the stadium
Inside Stadium Wankdorf, a banner bearing the message `Thanks for everything` was displayed in memory of the brothers, alongside numerous other fan tributes. During the minute of silence, supporters held up signs, jerseys, and pictures as a mark of respect. The atmosphere was solemn just before the game began.
What the Portuguese FA is saying
In a statement, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proenca, commented:
`The Portuguese Football Federation and the whole Portuguese football family are heartbroken by the passing of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva in Spain this morning. Beyond being an outstanding player who earned almost 50 caps for the national team, Diogo Jota was a remarkable individual, universally respected by teammates and opponents. He possessed a contagious enthusiasm and served as an inspiration within his community. Speaking for myself and the Portuguese Football Federation, I wish to extend our sincerest sympathies to the families and friends of Diogo and André Silva, and also to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where they played. We have lost two champions. Their deaths are immense losses for Portuguese football, and we are committed to doing everything possible to honor their memory daily.`
Jota won the UEFA Nations League trophy twice with Portugal. He accumulated 49 appearances for the senior national team, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists.
Adrian Whitmore