Being here, among the queuing locals waiting to pay tribute at the Matriz de Gondomar church, it was impossible not to think about roots: those that ground us, that keep us connected to where we come from, if we allow them to. It is obvious that Diogo Jota nourished his.
Cherished them, too. That, far more than his ability as a footballer, made the people of Gondomar love him.
For the family, there is only pain, as raw as it is unjust, a wound they cannot even yet fully comprehend, let alone cauterise. But later, you hope, that will soften into gratitude — for the 28 years they had with him, for the memories, for the beauty he gave not just to their lives but those of so many others.
Waiting to enter the chapel and say a prayer for Jota, Maria Nogueira held a bunch of flowers with a note attached.
“Thank you, Diogo,” it read, “for making so many people happy.”
@jacklang |
nytimes.com/athletic/6475168…
ALT Diogo Jota of Portugal looks on prior to the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A1 match between Portugal and Scotland at Estadio do SL Benfica on September 8, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal.