Diogo Jota‘s family were joined by the Liverpool squad and members of staff to pay their respects to the No. 20 at the memorial at Anfield on Friday.
The tributes to Jota and his brother Andre Silva have grown exponentially in the days since their tragic passing, with touching tributes laid alongside flowers, scarves, controllers and more.
The memorial, which lines the verge opposite the Main Stand, has been visited by current and former players and on Friday the entire squad joined Jota’s family to pay their respects.
Jota’s wife, Rute, and his parents viewed the tributes and the nearby mural as members of the team each left a white and red rose in tribute to Jota and Andre.
The squad came from training, with images and footage shared by the club showing the emotional scenes as players comforted one another and took time to view the tributes.
Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Luis Diaz, Harvey Elliott and the club’s new signings were among those pictured as Arne Slot and his staff also laid down flowers.
Their visit came hours before the club announced that they will retire the No. 20 shirt across all levels after consultation with Jota’s family, in a lasting tribute to the Portuguese forward.
Michael Edwards, FSG CEO of Football, touchingly said in the statement: “By retiring this squad number, we are making it eternal – and therefore never to be forgotten.
“Diogo joined us in 2020, he won us number 20, and he wore – with honour, distinction and affection – the number 20.
“As far as Liverpool Football Club is concerned, he will be forever our number 20.”
For Diogo and Andre ??? pic.twitter.com/5tMDOnDwxV
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 11, 2025
Jota and Andre will be honoured before Sunday’s first pre-season friendly at Preston on Sunday after the match was given the go ahead after extensive talks between the clubs.
Preston have requested all supporters to be in their seats by 2.45pm as singer Claudia Rose Maguire will perform renditions of Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ and Liverpool anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
Representatives of Liverpool and Preston – likely including captain Virgil van Dijk – will lay wreaths in front of the away end, known as the Bill Shankly Kop.
Deepdale will observe a minute’s silence before the 3pm (BST) kickoff while tributes will be displayed on the big screen and pitchside LEDs.
Both Liverpool and Preston players will wear black armbands to mark the loss of Jota and his younger brother.
