Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has expressed deep sorrow and shock over the tragic death of teammate Diogo Jota, who died alongside his younger brother, Andre Silva, in a fatal car accident in Spain.
The Portuguese forward and his brother lost their lives in the early hours of Thursday after their vehicle swerved off a motorway and caught fire. The incident has sent shockwaves across the football world, particularly at Liverpool, where Jota had been a beloved member of the squad.
In a touching tribute on Friday, Salah admitted that the thought of returning to Anfield without Jota was deeply unsettling.
“I am truly lost for words,” Salah wrote on Instagram. “Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break.
“Teammates come and go but not like this. It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back.
“My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children. Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get. They will never be forgotten.”
Jota, who married his longtime partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, shared moments from their wedding online just hours before the deadly crash. The couple had three children.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot acknowledged the pain shared by the entire club, saying the loss of Jota was incomprehensible.
“We owe it to Diogo to stand together and be there for one another,” Slot said.
The club’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, also conveyed his heartbreak, writing on Instagram that he was “absolutely devastated and in total disbelief.”
As a mark of respect, Liverpool FC has postponed the start of pre-season training, originally scheduled for Friday, to Monday. Flags at the club’s grounds have been lowered to half-mast, and a condolence book has been opened for fans and staff to pay their respects.
Supporters have continued to gather at Anfield, leaving flowers, scarves, and tributes at a makeshift memorial. A similar outpouring of grief has also been seen at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Molineux Stadium, where Jota spent a key part of his career before joining Liverpool.
The club’s first pre-season fixture is still expected to go ahead on July 13 against Preston, though it will likely carry a somber tone as the team and fans continue to grieve the loss of one of their own.
