Liverpool confirmed that they will retire the No. 20 shirt at all levels, from the men's and women's first teams to the youth academy, in memory of Diogo Jota, the striker who died with his younger brother 9 days ago.
Liverpool's homepage posted the information on the morning of July 12, attracting more than a million likes and thousands of positive comments, highly appreciating the gesture of one of the most traditional football teams in England. Before that, the board of directors consulted Diogo Jota's wife, Rute Cardoso, and the family of the late player.
ESPN said that this move not only recognized Diogo Jota's contributions on the pitch, but also honored his personal influence on club members during his 5 years with Merseyside. "We are acutely aware of the sentiments of our fans and we feel them too," said Michael Edwards, managing director of football at Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's owners, adding that Jota's family were the first to know of the club's intentions.
For the first time in Liverpool's history, Edwards said, the club had paid special tribute to "a fantastic individual". "By retiring the No. 20 shirt, we are making it permanent, so people will never forget it. Diogo Jota joined us in 2020, won the Premier League for the 20th time, and he wore the No. 20 shirt with honour, respect and affection. He will forever be our No. 20," added Michael Edwards.
This Sunday, Liverpool will play a friendly against Championship side Preston North End - the first match since Jota's death. The two teams will wear black armbands and observe a minute of silence before the match, with a series of memorable images of Jota displayed on the big screen. On forums, fans hope that their teammates will perform well in Jota's place. According to ESPN, the team's plan to return to preseason training was delayed, as many players traveled to Portugal for Jota's funeral.
On July 11, Liverpool's coaching staff, players, and Jota's family went to Anfield to lay wreaths in memory of Diogo Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva.
Diogo Jota and Andre Silva died on the morning of July 3 in northwestern Spain while driving to England. The Lamborghini of the two brothers blew a tire, lost control, and flipped several times before catching fire. According to local police, the Liverpool striker and his brother died at the scene. Jota had undergone surgery for a pneumothorax and was advised by doctors not to fly due to health concerns. The brothers chose to travel by road and ferry to England. Ten days earlier, Jota married his longtime girlfriend Rute Cardoso. They have three children.
Diogo Jota was born in 1996 in Portugal and played for Paços de Ferreira, Atlético Madrid, and Wolverhampton Wanderers before joining Liverpool in 2020. He has played 49 times for Portugal, winning the Nations League last month.
(According to ESPN)