Diogo Jota, a 28-year-old Portuguese attacker, passed away on Thursday after being involved in a vehicle accident in Spain. Tributes are still coming in. The accident occurred, according to the Spanish Guardia Civil, when the Lamborghini driven by the Liverpool player and his 26-year-old brother Andre Silva "left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking". Liverpool, the Premier League 2024-25 champions, have now stated that they would be "immortalizing" Jota's jersey No. 20 in his honor.

In an official statement, Liverpool said, "The No.20 will be rightly immortalized for his contributions as part of Liverpool's 2024–25 title-winners – the club's 20th – with his trademark shimmy and strike in front of the Kop to seal victory in April's Merseyside derby a poignant last goal of his life."

No jersey number has ever been retired by Liverpool in honor of a player. But admirers still want the club to make an exception for the talented and skilled forward.

Born in Porto, Jota began his professional career with Paços de Ferreira's youth academy before joining Atlético Madrid of La Liga in 2016.

He played for Porto for a while after joining them on loan, and then he moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers of the Premier League. Jota joined Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in 2020, and the majority of his success came from that.

In the 2024–25 campaign, he led Liverpool to victory in the FA Cup and League Cup under Jurgen Klopp and the Premier League under Arne Slot. Additionally, he was a member of the Portuguese team that won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

What did Arne Slot have to say about Jota's passing?

Arne Slot, the manager of Liverpool, honored the 28-year-old forward, who was a key factor in the club's recent success, and said he couldn't fathom the agony the Jota family must be experiencing.

"My initial instincts are not those of a football manager. They are a father, son, brother, and uncle of the Diogo and Andre Silva family, who have endured such an unthinkable loss, he said.

"The sense of shock is complete for us as a club. Diogo wasn't just our player. Everyone of us loved him. He was unique in every way—as a coworker, teammate, and colleague—he said.

Since joining Liverpool in 2020, Diogo Jota has played 182 games for the team. The majority of his 65 goals were scored at the time when the Reds most needed them. He knew how to keep his head up when things got tough.

Read Also: Diogo Jota Attended Physiotherapy Just Hours Before Tragic Accident; Had Liverpool Medical Appointment Set for July 7

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