Luis Díaz (28, Liverpool) offered a belated final goodbye to the late Diogo Jota (aged 28). Nevertheless, criticism towards him continues.
O Jogo reported on the 10th (Korea time) that "Díaz, Diogo Costa, and Alisson attended a mass commemorating Jota and his brother André Silva, who passed away." It has been a week since Jota left the world on the 3rd.
The outlet reported that "the Gondomar parish church held a '7-day mass' on Wednesday to commemorate Jota and his brother Silva, who died in a traffic accident in Spain last week. Díaz, who faced criticism for not attending Jota's funeral, also attended this gathering."
In Gondomar, Portugal, Jota's hometown, around 100 citizens, including figures from the football community, gathered to pay tribute to the brothers. O Jogo added, "About 100 people gathered at the church door to mourn."
Díaz, who faced intense criticism for enjoying a party instead of attending the funeral, made his first official appearance at this event. Unlike the scene in a social media video where he was bright, smiling, and dancing, he was seen with a grim expression, appearing to wipe away tears on that day.
Jota died in a sudden traffic accident along with his brother Silva. He was reportedly traveling from Portugal to northern Spain's Santander and was scheduled to return to the UK by ferry. However, he lost his life in a traffic accident that occurred on the A-52 highway near Zamora, Spain.
According to police, the accident happened at 12:30 a.m. local time on the 3rd. The Lamborghini vehicle that Jota and Silva were in lost a tire while overtaking another vehicle and veered off the road. The vehicle, engulfed in flames, was completely incinerated, and both individuals died at the scene.
The reason Jota traveled by car instead of by plane was a small coincidence. He had recently undergone minor surgery due to lung issues and was returning to Liverpool by car on the advice of his doctor. He planned to drive from Porto to Santander and then take a ferry to the southern part of England before driving back to Liverpool.
Jota and Silva's funeral was held in Gondomar, Portugal, their hometown. They were buried in a church in Gondomar, and many figures from the football community attended the privately held funeral. Liverpool teammates, including Virgil van Dijk, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Andy Robertson, accompanied Jota on his final journey.
However, Díaz was at the center of controversy when it was revealed that he attended a YouTuber event in Barranquilla, Colombia, on the day of Jota's funeral. The video showed him enjoying a party and dancing with friends, smiling brightly.
Criticism was fierce. As anecdotes about Jota helping Díaz in life were highlighted, accusations of "betraying loyalty" followed. Jota had offered his former home rent-free when Díaz first joined Porto, and in 2023, when Díaz's father was kidnapped, Jota raised Díaz's number 7 jersey in a celebration, wishing for his safe return.
Yet, Díaz did not join Jota's final journey and instead enjoyed a party in his home country. Additionally, the fact that Jota's death led to the cancellation of Liverpool's preseason training created further shock. Among fans, there were stories suggesting that Díaz betrayed his duty as a human being.
This was in stark contrast to the actions of Liverpool. The club permanently retired Jota's number 20, the first such occurrence in its history, and it promised to deliver Jota's salary of £14.6 million (approximately 27.2 billion won) for the remaining two years of his contract to his family. Many Liverpool players also traveled long distances to honor Jota's last moments.
As the criticism towards Díaz intensified, he expressed condolences to his late colleague during this mass, albeit belatedly. Having quietly bid farewell to Jota, he did not clarify his stance on the controversy or participate in any interviews.
O Jogo noted that "Colombian winger Díaz stirred controversy by posting on social media a video of himself dancing with friends on the day of Jota's funeral when most of the Liverpool squad attended the funeral." Although Díaz attended the memorial mass later, criticism remains strong in both Colombia and the UK.
At the memorial mass on that day, several figures from the football community prayed for Jota's soul. O Jogo reported that "Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who could not attend the funeral due to mobility difficulties, also attended the mass. Others, including José Sá, Neves, João Mário, and Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, also paid their respects."
Meanwhile, Díaz is pushing for a transfer this summer. He ranks 16th in the team's salary hierarchy and has demanded a pay raise or a release from Liverpool, with Barcelona and Bayern Munich showing interest. It is reported that Díaz has given the club an 'ultimatum' to make a decision within this month, given Jota's death.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (reproduction and redistribution prohibited), O Jogo, Luis Díaz, Sport, ESPN FC social media.
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