Diogo Jota And André Silva's Funeral Held In Portugal

Footballers Diogo Jota and André Silva person been honoured by their family, friends and teammates astatine a associated ceremonial successful Portugal.

Jota, 28, was laid to remainder alongside his brother, Silva, 25, aft they died successful a car clang connected Thursday.

Hundreds of locals and supporters gathered astatine nan Igreja Matriz successful Gondomar, wherever nan brothers are from, connected Saturday.

The ceremonial besides brought together immense names from crossed football, including Jota's teammates Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, who were seen carrying floral tributes into nan religion up of nan ceremony.

The work was held successful Gondomar, a mini Portuguese metropolis adjacent Porto, that has been near reeling aft nan brothers died.

Players from Liverpool FC, who only 3 months agone were celebrating their Premier League win, arrived astatine nan ceremonial together.

Watching them locomotion successful statement pinch each other, almost arsenic they do erstwhile stepping onto nan pitch, was an affectional experience.

There was a beardown emotion of community, but besides a shared sombreness.

Many were visibly upset, pinch supporters connected nan different broadside of nan obstruction applauding nan players. One female successful nan crowd shouted towards them arsenic they walked in: "Força!" - strength.

Family and adjacent friends walked into nan religion successful complete silence, galore of them pinch their heads bowed down arsenic nan religion doorbell rung.

One personification successful nan convoy held up a motion pinch Silva's photograph, which read: "Para sempre um de nós." (Forever 1 of us.)

So overmuch was nan brothers' effect connected shot and their section organization that immoderate of nan guests had to watch nan ceremonial from extracurricular of nan church, often hugging and comforting 1 another.

Locals and shot fans successful nan crowd watched silently for astir of nan service, which went connected for astir an hour.

Many wore shot shirts and carried merchandise from nan different teams crossed Portugal and overseas wherever Jota and Silva, who played for section nine Penafiel, spent immoderate clip in.

One of these fans was Antônio Moreira, who group disconnected early successful nan greeting to beryllium 1 of nan first extracurricular nan Igreja Matriz de Gondomar wherever nan ceremonial took place.

"I cognize I won't beryllium capable to spell inside, but I wanted to salary my respects," he told maine from nan obstruction extracurricular nan church.

Antônio later showed maine his telephone lawsuit - a small old, he said - pinch nan emblem of FC Porto.

Antônio recalled fond memories of Jota connected nan field, arsenic he spent a twelvemonth playing for nan section club, but added that nan brothers were truthful overmuch much than shot stars.

"They were bully people, from a humble family, group for illustration us."

This has deed him particularly hard, he said, arsenic 40 years agone his family went done a akin tragedy. His aunt, uncle and young relative died successful a car mishap 3 days earlier Christmas, leaving his different relative behind.

Jota and Silva whitethorn not person been his nonstop family, he said, but their deaths felt personal.

"This is what I think: losing your parents is hard, really hard. But losing your children is unimaginable," he added.

Jota's travel arsenic a subordinate inspired galore group present successful Gondomar, shot instrumentality Fábio Silva told me.

He has kept up pinch nan brothers since they started successful nan section clubs - and said he had to beryllium present for their last journey.

"Despite nan effect they had connected football, and moreover financially, they ne'er fto it show," he told me, adding nan family are well-loved successful nan town.

"The organization is sad, devastated," he said.

Having spent immoderate clip pinch them complete nan years, Fábio said location was only 1 logic he was here: "Respect for nan brothers, nan family."

Avid shot fans Fábio and Rafaela travelled from nan adjacent municipality Lordelo to honour Jota and Silva.

Wearing Jota's shirt, Fábio said it was important to him to beryllium present "for Jota's last day". Both said it meant a batch to nan organization that truthful galore group showed up to salary their respects.

They watched nan ceremonial from extracurricular nan church, for illustration hundreds of different fans - which Fábio said was hard. Nodding, Rafaela agreed, but said it was besides beautiful.

"This is an illustration that you request to unrecorded life to nan max," Rafaela said, "because you ne'er cognize erstwhile will beryllium your past day."

"Say everything you want to say, and request to opportunity - tomorrow could beryllium excessively late," Fábio added.