Liverpool reflected on the life and passing of striker Diogo Jota with an hour-long broadcast, with ‘Remembering Diogo: Our Number 20’ now available to watch.
Jota passed away on Thursday and was laid to rest on Saturday, with many of the Liverpool squad and staff making the journey out to Portugal to pay their respects and say goodbye.
The tragedy of his and brother Andre Silva’s death has stunned those on Merseyside and beyond, at a time when the club was still celebrating their remarkable achievements of 2024/25 and looking ahead to more success next season.
To mark Jota’s life and mourn his death, Liverpool aired a tribute to their No. 20 on LFCTV on Monday night.
Liverpool legend Phil Thompson, club chaplain Bill Bygrove, journalist Paul Gorst and The Anfield Wrap’s Neil Atkinson joined presenter Peter McDowall outside Anfield to reflect on Jota’s life.
“There’s like a blanket of love here,” Bygrove explained.
“And that shows the empathy and sympathy that is being displayed by our city and others beyond our city. Because of course, in one way or another, we can all identify somehow with grief.
“But when it comes like this, so traumatic and devastating, it touches all of our hearts. I think folk just want to show to the family how much we care and how much we love and that they are in our thoughts and prayers continually.
“This club has had to deal with Hysel, had to deal with Hillsborough. This city knows how to grieve. To express their oneness with the family at this time is so vitally important.”
There was an interview with legendary striker John Aldridge, chairman of former players association Forever Reds, with the 66-year-old delivering a tearful tribute.
“I’m still numb. I can’t get my head around the enormity of what’s happened,” he said.
“From the former players, we’re absolutely smashed. We can’t believe what has happened to one of our players who was a hero.
“Even us, we look up to the team, and the manner in which he passed away, you’re looking at his three kids, his wife and his mum and dad. It just rips your heart apart.”
Also speaking were supporter Olivia Hayes and The Redmen TV’s Chloe Bloxam, with Bloxam reflecting on an occasion in which she worked with Jota.
“He was a beautiful soul is the only way I can describe it. His smile lit up a room,” she said.
“He took his time out of his own day to come to that event, he didn’t need to, he had no obligations, it was just the kind of character he was.
“I was really nervous, he’s the first Liverpool player that I was able to interview, and he put me so at ease.
“He had a little cheekiness about him and he was so calm and easy to talk to. It was literally like chatting to a mate.
“Honestly, it was the greatest honour of my professional career to sit down and have a conversation with him. That memory will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Liverpool’s hour-long broadcast ended with a montage of Jota’s achievements set to the words of the No. 20 himself, speaking about his first footballing memories and fulfilling his dreams as a player.
That those dreams came to such a horrific, abrupt end casts a sadness around Anfield, with Diogo and his goals to be remembered for generations to come.
