ROG WRITES: Devastated to wake to the news that Liverpool’s Diogo Jota has passed away. The 28-year-old forward, who played the game with humility, clinicality, and a childhood glee was reported to have been in a car crash in Spain. He died alongside his brother André Filipe, a professional soccer player in the Portuguese second division. It is an awful, unfathomable story which hits so hard.
A month ago Jota was walking around Anfield as a champion. He then paraded through the streets of Liverpool with his team and the Premier League trophy. On June 8th, he won the Nations League with Portugal. Ten days ago, he was married. The photographs he posted depict a beaming human being, on top of the world, standing proudly alongside his wife, Ruta Cardoso, and his three young children. Images of beauty. It is now heartbreaking to contemplate and impossible to process. Words cannot be summoned to capture the enormity of the shock and the loss. As Jurgen Klopp, a man of enormous faith posted, “this is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it!”
Remember Diogo like this: Scoring his last goal. For Liverpool, dancing through the Everton defense to deliver Derby Day glory. As he often said, the football field was where he felt most alive, and he made so many Liverpool fans experience some of their most powerful collective memories that will live on forever. Our thoughts and love go out to Diogo’s family, all at Liverpool Football Club, and Liverpool supporters across our own community.
Savor every second of life. Never take a moment for granted.
#YNWA 🙏🇵🇹💔