Jurgen Klopp pays tribute to Diogo Jota ahead of Liverpool versus Wolves

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 27 Dec 2025 05:57 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has paid tribute to Diogo Jota ahead of Saturday's Premier League fixture between the Reds and Wolves at Anfield.

In July of 2025, Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically died in a car accident in Zamora, Spain. After having minor lung surgery, the player was advised not to fly home to Liverpool for pre-season training and so was heading to Santander to board a ferry back to England.

The news stunned the football world and the Liverpool family, in particular.

This weekend will be the first time that Jota's two English teams - Liverpool and Wolves - have faced off since his passing.

There are planned tributes before the match, while his children will act as mascots.

Klopp, who brought Jota to Liverpool from Wolves, had some touching words for the Portuguese star in an interview with The Observer.

“His loss – and André’s loss – is one of the hardest moments I’ve ever had to try to process," he said.

“In truth I still haven’t found any answers (to a higher meaning to life). Some questions have no answers, I guess. But despite all that pain, I also felt something else: gratitude. Gratitude I coached him. Gratitude I knew him. Gratitude I brought him to Liverpool – those supporters in particular got to share in his brilliance and his goodness.”

Klopp says Jota's team mentality was clear from the moment he moved to Anfield.

“Diogo said in his first interview as a Liverpool player that he was ‘a team player. I will help [the team] the best I can’. He lived those words every day.

“Ability plus attitude. That is why he had such a big impact in Liverpool. He was the supporters’ representative on the pitch.

“As demonstrated by his reaction to slotting the winning penalty against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup… a competition we went on to win. He was screaming at the away section of Anfield and I wondered why. Later I was told it was because he took exception to chants from some of Leicester’s supporters that night about poverty in Liverpool. So Diogo.

“I remember walking down the plane or bus on away trips and seeing Diogo juggling devices: one playing Championship Manager; another with Candy Crush; the third watching someone gaming; and the fourth following and supporting André, who played professionally in Portugal.

“This complex mix of competitiveness, total absorption in football and absolute kindness – that was Diogo.

“But even in the sadness, I choose to remember joy because he brought so much of it. He lived with joy. He played with joy. I honestly believe remembering him with a smile is exactly what he would want.

“For Rute, for the children, for the whole family, I hope you know how deeply he was admired and how much he meant to so many people. My thoughts, my heart, my strength are with you."

Arne Slot's Jota tribute

In his pre-match notes, current Liverpool manager Arne Slot also paid tribute to Jota.

"Reflecting on everything that has happened over the last 12 months ignites a rollercoaster of emotions but it is normal at this time of year to look back to everything that has happened," the Dutchman wrote.

"Doing so leads me to think especially of the family of Diogo Jota on what will be their first Christmas without him. It is not my place to tell them where they should look for comfort – if that is even possible – but I can only hope that the feeling of love and affection that Diogo still generates brings them some solace.

"The sense of loss will be particularly strong on Saturday, of course, as it will be the first time that Diogo's two English teams will meet since his tragic passing. Like us, Wolves were clearly very affected by the loss of such a special player and person so my thoughts continue to be with them also."

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