On a secluded street near Capela da Ressurreicao, on the outskirts of Porto, a crowd had been gathering throughout the night in anticipation of a somber homecoming. At 11.30pm the previous night, the silence of the night was shattered by applause as the hearse carrying the coffins of two footballing sons of Gondomar arrived. The tragic car crash in northern Spain had claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva exactly 23 hours earlier.
The impact of this tragedy has reverberated worldwide, but the pain of their loss is most deeply felt in their hometowns. At Gondomar Sport Club, just a short drive away, a memorial of flowers, scarves, jerseys, and candles was growing outside the academy named after Jota. Miguel Rocha, a former teammate of the 28-year-old who went on to achieve success with Liverpool, wore Jota’s Liverpool shirt and held a jersey from their previous club, Wolves.
Having played together for a decade through the youth ranks, Rocha reflected on their dreams of becoming professional players and the pride they felt watching Jota succeed. The community of Gondomar, as well as Portugal, held Jota in high regard every time he stepped onto the field.
Licínio Ribeiro Correia, who witnessed both brothers’ growth at Gondomar, remembered Diogo’s hunger for the ball and the spectacle of his goals. Despite the loss of Diogo when he left for a bigger club, the impact he had on those who knew him remained profound.
Jota’s commitment to his roots was evident in his gesture of sending a shirt back from England to Correia. His final act in a Portugal shirt was contributing to a second Nations League title for his country. As he departed Liverpool following a Premier League triumph, many at the vigil wore the club’s red shirts in his honor.
Afonso Gama, a player for Gondomar’s under-19 team, found inspiration in Jota’s journey from a modest club to the pinnacle of the sport. Jota’s success served as a beacon of possibility for all who played alongside him, a reminder that hard work and dedication can lead to great achievements.
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