“I couldn’t hold back my tears” – Luis Díaz delivers heartfelt tribute to Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota

Luis Díaz has delivered a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, revealing he was overcome with emotion and broke down in tears upon learning of his Liverpool teammate’s tragic death. Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, died in the early hours of Thursday, July 3, after their car crashed due to a tyre blowout.

Although Díaz couldn’t attend the funeral held in their hometown of Gondomar on Saturday, July 5, most of the Liverpool squad did, including ex-teammates Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho, Thiago Alcântara, and Caoimhin Kelleher.

Speaking to Colombian outlet Win Sports before the funeral, Díaz reflected on the bond he shared with Jota during their time at Anfield and how deeply the news affected him.

“It’s really difficult to process something like this,” Díaz said. “Waking up and seeing such heartbreaking news—it completely caught us all off guard. No one is ever truly ready for something like this.

“Jota played a huge part in my early days at Liverpool. His family welcomed me with open arms, and he became a very close friend. We shared a healthy rivalry and saw eye to eye on many things.

“My heart goes out to his family, his wife, and the children he’s left behind. I can only imagine the pain they’re in.”

Díaz admitted he was devastated when he first heard the news. “I cried. It was an enormous pain.”

He also recalled Jota’s touching gesture in October 2023, when the Portuguese forward held up Díaz’s shirt after scoring—an emotional show of support following the kidnapping of Díaz’s parents in Colombia.

“I’ll never forget that,” Díaz said. “That moment meant everything to me. Just like I said in my tribute post, I want him to rest in peace. I will always carry with me the memory of a great friend—someone who’ll never be forgotten by his teammates, friends, and family.”