Some things transcend football and sport in general.
The passing of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, in a tragic car accident in Spain last Wednesday was one such event that shook the footballing world.
The Liverpool squad was rightly afforded more time to process the news, with the club opting to delay their return ahead of pre-season.
Despite some debate over whether or not our opening pre-season clash with Preston North End should go ahead, the match has gone ahead as planned on Sunday afternoon.
Preston North End share beautiful Diogo Jota tribute
It was announced ahead of the tie that our No.20 would not only be commemorated during our trip to Deepdale, but that Jota’s shirt number would be permanently retired.
A gesture that we at Empire of the Kop, and the wider fanbase, are in full support of.
Ahead of the pre-season friendly tie with Preston, there was also a touching rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone as a wreath was laid in front of the travelling Kop.
The Echo’s Ian Doyle shared footage of the tribute on X (formerly Twitter).
pic.twitter.com/k7dNORHk3s
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) July 13, 2025
We’d like to thank all those associated with the Lancashire outfit for such a beautifully executed gesture.
