Slot, Ronaldo lead tributes to Liverpool star Jota

Tributes from astir the sporting satellite person been paid to Liverpool guardant Diogo Jota aft the Portugal planetary and his brother, André Silva, died successful a car crash successful Spain connected Thursday morning.

The player's decease astatine the property of 28 was confirmed by Liverpool Football Club, the Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), with the Spain Civil Guard informing The Associated Press of the incident.

Jota's decease comes conscionable weeks aft helium joined his semipermanent partner, Rute Cardoso, with whom helium had 3 children. He lifted the Premier League rubric with his teammates connected May 25 and won 4 large honors during his clip astatine the club.

In a statement, the nine said they were "devastated" by Jota's passing and requested "the privateness of Diogo and André's family, friends, teammates and nine unit is respected arsenic they effort to travel to presumption with an unimaginable loss."

"For america arsenic a club, the consciousness of daze is absolute. Diogo was not conscionable our player. He was a loved 1 to each of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, a workmate and successful each of those roles helium was precise special," Liverpool brag Arne Slot said successful a statement.

"I could accidental truthful overmuch astir what helium brought to our squad but the information is everyone who watched Diogo play could spot it. Hard work, desire, commitment, large quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool subordinate should be."

The club's elder enactment radical of Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon said successful a associated statement: This tragic concern and the world of it is genuinely shocking, devastating and has near america numb with grief. We truthful cannot ideate however the contiguous and wider household of these singular brothers indispensable beryllium feeling. Our thoughts, prayers and enactment are with them all.

Liverpool City Council has announced the emblem astatine Liverpool municipality hallway has been lowered to half-staff pursuing the decease of Jota and his brother.

Jota's Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo sent his condolences to the brothers' family.

"It doesn't marque sense. We were conscionable unneurotic with the nationalist team, you had conscionable gotten married," Ronaldo said successful a station connected societal media.

"To your family, your wife, and your children, I nonstop my condolences and privation them each the spot successful the world. I cognize you volition ever beryllium with them. Rest successful peace, Diogo and André. We volition each miss you."

Said Jota's Liverpool teammate Darwin Núñez: "There are nary words of consolation for truthful overmuch pain. I volition ever retrieve you with your smile, arsenic a bully companion connected and disconnected the field.

"I nonstop each my spot to his family, from wherever helium is I americium definite helium volition ever beryllium with you, particularly to his woman and his 3 children."

Liverpool's sporting manager Richard Hughes and the Michael Edwards, the CEO of shot for Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, said the nine would look to honour Jota successful the coming days.

"There is thing that we tin accidental successful this infinitesimal to easiness the symptom of specified a devastating tragedy. We each consciousness utterly bereft close now," they said successful a statement.

"In specified heartbreaking circumstances, it is our work to admit the corporate grief we are experiencing, to wage tribute to our Diogo, and to connection unwavering enactment to his household who stay our implicit precedence astatine this time."

They added: "In the coming days, we arsenic a nine volition look to honour our beloved fig 20 with the respect and affection helium truthful richly deserves. We volition strive to marque these tributes meaningful and inclusive of our supporters, to whom Diogo meant truthful much.

"For now, we explicit a emotion that is filled with heavy sorrow and pain. We person mislaid idiosyncratic genuinely irreplaceable."

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who coached Jota astatine Liverpool, posted a tribute on Instagram, saying: "This is simply a infinitesimal wherever I struggle! There indispensable beryllium a bigger purpose! But I can't spot it!

"I'm heartbroken to perceive astir the passing of Diogo and his member André. Diogo was not lone a fantastic player, but besides a large friend, a loving and caring hubby and father! We volition miss you truthful much!

All my prayers, thoughts and powerfulness to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest successful bid -- Love J."

Lionel Messi posted a achromatic and achromatic photograph of Jota with the abbreviation of RIP successful Spanish (QEPD) connected Instagram.

Liverpool fable Jamie Carragher said successful a post connected X: "Devastating quality astir Diogo Jota & his member Andre this morning. Thoughts are with everyone of their household & friends, particularly his woman Rute & their 3 beauteous kids."

Premier League clubs expressed their commiserations, including Liverpool's bitter rivals Manchester United.

"Our deepest condolences are with the loved ones of Diogo Jota and his brother, André, and everyone connected with Liverpool FC pursuing today's heartbreaking news," the nine said successful a post connected societal media.

Jota's erstwhile nine Wolverhampton Wanderers said they were "heartbroken." Jota spent 3 years astatine the nine earlier joining Liverpool.

"Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him during his clip astatine Wolves. The memories helium created volition ne'er beryllium forgotten," Wolves added.

"Our hearts spell retired to the family, friends and loved ones of Diogo and his brother, André. You volition beryllium genuinely missed, and ever remembered."

The English Football Association said it was devastated to larn of Jota's passing, and the Premier League said that "football has mislaid a champion who volition beryllium everlastingly missed."

UEFA has announced that a infinitesimal of soundlessness volition beryllium observed astatine each of Thursday and Friday's women's Euro 2025 matches successful representation of Jota and his brother.

"We'll beryllium watching the games contiguous and Portugal play their archetypal crippled against Spain, and I cognize determination volition beryllium a minute's soundlessness held earlier that game," England's Lucy Bronze said.

"I deliberation everyone successful an England garment and everyone successful the tourney volition beryllium supporting the Portuguese squad due to the fact that they volition beryllium a batch person to this than we are. It is conscionable a truly bittersweet infinitesimal for everyone progressive successful football, knowing what a large feline helium is and what an astonishing twelvemonth he's had -- not conscionable successful football, but helium got joined a fewer weeks agone and he's got immoderate small kids. It's conscionable truthful sad."

Tributes were besides paid to Jota from extracurricular the satellite of soccer, with Rafael Nadal expressing his sorrow astatine the "terribly bittersweet and achy news" successful a post connected X.

Basketball fable LeBron James, whose involvement successful Fenway Sports Group makes him a portion proprietor of Liverpool, said: "My prayers goes retired to his loved ones during this time! May you each beryllium guided and protected! YNWA JOTA!!"

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes posted a photograph wherever helium is seen hugging Jota during a Portugal crippled and wrote: "Friend, colleague, and companion successful a 1000 battles. It's hard to recognize however idiosyncratic tin permission truthful early. May you and your member find the bid you request to look aft those who mislaid you truthful abruptly and truthful soon. My condolences to your full family."

ESPN's Tom Hamilton contributed to this report.