Tributes Pour In for Jota as His Sons Take to Anfield

omidbasir- In a recent article from The Times, Dinis and Duarte, the young sons of Diogo Jota and his wife Rute Cardoso, are set to grace the Anfield pitch this weekend in what promises to be an emotional event on Merseyside.

The boys were present with their younger sister and parents when Liverpool celebrated clinching their 20th league title after a match against Crystal Palace at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.

The family also attended Liverpool’s opening match of the 2025-26 season against Bournemouth at Anfield on August 15, as well as Wolverhampton Wanderers’ first game of the season against Manchester City at Molineux the following day.

Both clubs paid heartfelt tributes to Jota and his brother Andre. Liverpool fans in the Kop and the Sir Kenny Dalglish stands displayed mosaics reading ‘DJ20’ and ‘AS30’ prior to the match against Bournemouth. Additionally, Wolves supporters honored Jota by unveiling a large banner in his memory before their clash with Pep Guardiola’s City, during which his favorite song, “Fields of Gold” by Sting, was played at Molineux.

Tragically, Jota passed away alongside his brother, Andre, a professional footballer with Penafiel, on July 3, just 11 days after marrying Rute in Porto. This devastating accident left the footballing community in mourning.

In response to the tragedy, Liverpool decided to retire Jota’s No. 20 shirt, which he had worn since his transfer from Wolves in September 2020.

Having initially joined Wolves on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid in July 2017, Jota made a permanent move to Molineux in January 2018, playing a pivotal role in securing promotion from the Championship during the 2017-18 season. He scored 44 goals in 131 appearances for Wolves before moving to Liverpool on a long-term contract.

During his tenure at Liverpool, Jota netted 65 times in 182 appearances and helped the club secure both the FA Cup and League Cup during the 2021-22 season, culminating in a league title victory last season. He also represented Portugal 49 times, scoring 14 goals and winning the Nations League in both 2018-19 and 2024-25.

James Milner recently paid a touching tribute to Jota upon his return to Anfield, donning the number 20 jersey. Milner, who played alongside Jota for three seasons before transferring to Brighton & Hove Albion after the 2022-23 campaign, received a warm ovation from the Liverpool crowd when he came off the bench in the match between the two clubs on December 13. On Instagram, the 39-year-old expressed his gratitude, stating, “Disappointing result but happy to be back out on the pitch and a special moment to play at Anfield wearing the #20. A massive thank you for the incredible welcome from the Anfield crowd. YNWA.”

Jordan Henderson, who also played alongside both players at Liverpool, paid homage to Jota after scoring in Brentford’s 1-1 draw against Leeds United the following day. Speaking to Sky Sports post-match at the Gtech Community Stadium, Henderson remarked, “It was his [Jota’s] birthday recently; we’ll never forget him. We always remember him forever really. I can only imagine what the lads at Liverpool are going through. He was a good friend. I don’t score many goals, so I thought when I did I would dedicate it to him.”

The upcoming fixture between Wolves and Liverpool is scheduled to take place at Molineux on Wednesday, March 4.