A City Mourns: Football Family Says Goodbye to Diogo Jota and André Silva

A huge crowd filled the church in Gondomar on Sunday to honor Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva. The two footballers died in a car crash in Spain just days earlier. The bishop of Porto led the service, and the church was packed. Many people had to listen from outside due to the large turnout. Friends and teammates from Gondomar FC carried the urns of the two players. Both brothers started their football careers at this local club. After the service, a long procession walked to the cemetery, followed by thousands of fans who wanted to pay their respects. Liverpool FC players attended the funeral on Saturday, led by their captain Virgil Van Dijk. He carried a red floral arrangement shaped like a football shirt with Jota's number 20. Teammate Andrew Robertson carried a similar arrangement with Silva's number 30. Portugal's national team coach Roberto Martínez was also present. He spoke to journalists after the funeral, saying, "These are very sad days. Today was a reminder that we are a family. " However, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota's national team captain, was notably absent. Reports suggest he skipped the funeral to avoid drawing attention away from the somber event. The tragic accident happened near Zamora, Spain, early Thursday morning. The brothers were driving a Lamborghini that crashed and caught fire. They were on their way to Santander to catch a ferry to the UK. Spanish officials believe a tire blew out while Jota was overtaking another vehicle. The investigation is still ongoing. Jota's death came just two weeks after he married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso. They had three children together. The news of his death shocked the world of sports, entertainment, and politics, with many expressing their condolences.