Diogo Jota will forever be Liverpool’s number 20.
Today, Friday the 11th of July, marked one week since Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died tragically in a car accident. While as fans and a site we have slowly made our way back to covering other news in the time since, the feeling of loss has still hung heavy throughout everything and for everyone here at TLO over the past week.
The loss is clearly still being felt and reckoned with at the club even more so, as the players return to start their preseason training and preparations for the first warm up match of the summer on Sunday against Preston. At the same time, numerous players both current and former, have stopped by Anfield to pay their respects at the ever growing memorial field of flowers, shirts, scarves, and gaming controllers. It has been both a sad as well as a beautiful and heartrending sight to see.
Friday also saw the club host the families of Diogo and Andre at Anfield for the first time since the accident, and with it came the announcement that after much discussion with Diogo’s wife Rute and the family, the club will retire his number 20 shirt at all levels of the club, including the Women’s team and Academy.
“As a club, we were all acutely aware of the sentiment of our supporters – and we felt exactly the same way,” said Michael Edwards, FSG CEO of Football.
“It was vitally important to us to involve Diogo’s wife, Rute, and his family in the decision and to ensure they were the first to know of our intention.
“I believe this is the first time in Liverpool Football Club’s history that such an honour has been bestowed upon an individual. Therefore, we can say this is a unique tribute to a uniquely wonderful person.
“By retiring this squad number, we are making it eternal – and therefore never to be forgotten.
“Diogo joined us in 2020, he won us number 20, and he wore – with honour, distinction and affection – the number 20.
“As far as Liverpool Football Club is concerned, he will be forever our number 20.”
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The announcement was made, rather poignantly, at 20:20PM local time.
Normally, no matter how important to the club and no matter their achievements, players move on. Players change clubs. Players retire. Diogo Jota didn’t get that chance. And he will forever be Liverpool’s number 20.