Diogo Costa, the Portugal and FC Porto goalkeeper, has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Liverpool star Diogo Jota during the club's title-winning celebrations. Jota's widow, Rute Cardoso, shared the emotional moment on social media.
A Tragic Loss
The football world was devastated in July last year when Jota and his brother Andre tragically lost their lives in a car crash in Spain. Jota was returning to Liverpool for pre-season training after minor lung surgery in Porto. He had initially planned to fly but, on medical advice, chose to travel by ferry from Santander.
The heartbreaking incident occurred just days after Jota married his long-term partner Rute, with whom he had three children.
Title-Winning Tribute
On Saturday, Porto faced Alverca in Liga Portugal, needing a draw or win to secure their 31st league title after rivals Sporting and Benfica dropped points. Porto won 1-0, and during the post-match celebrations, Costa was seen wearing a Porto shirt with Jota's name and the number 19.
Speaking to reporters, Costa said: "This is for our Portista and dear Diogo Jota and his brother. For me, he was a national teammate, but he also played here. I knew he was a huge Portista, and we want to dedicate this league trophy to him, his brother, and their family."
In a separate interview with Sport TV, Costa added: "There's so much to say, so much to remember. Our Jorge, our president, personally, Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva... It's a mix of sadness and happiness at the same time. This morning, when I woke up, I felt it was almost as if I knew something good was going to happen, because we deserve it and I think we did everything for it."
A Difficult Year for Porto
The past 12 months have been challenging for Porto, both on and off the field. The club mourned the deaths of Jota, long-serving president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa (who led the club for 42 years), and iconic captain Jorge Costa.
Liverpool's Loss
Jota's passing has been a profound loss for Liverpool. In their latest accounts published in March, the club stated: "The club was deeply saddened by the tragic passing of first team player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. Their deaths had a profound impact on the Club, the footballing community, and supporters around the world."
The club expects to recognise a financial impact of £14.4 million related to Jota's registration costs, but emphasised that this does not reflect the immeasurable personal and professional loss.
During his time at Anfield, Jota won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and the Nations League twice with Portugal. Liverpool officially retired his No. 20 shirt as a mark of respect.
