Arne Slot has paid an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota following the ahead’s tragic dying, sharing a robust assertion with supporters by way of liverpoofc.com.
The Dutchman revealed his ultimate message to the 28-year-old got here simply after Portugal’s Nations League triumph – solely weeks earlier than Jota’s wedding ceremony and the devastating automotive crash that took his and his brother Andre’s lives.
“In some ways, it was a dream summer time for Diogo and his household,” our head coach mentioned.
“Which makes it all of the extra heartbreaking that it ought to finish like this.”
Slot’s full assertion captured each the ache and admiration felt throughout the Liverpool household, as he mirrored on the qualities that made Jota “not simply our participant… a beloved one to all of us”.
“My first ideas should not these of a soccer supervisor,” he wrote.
“They’re of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle – they usually belong to the household of Diogo and Andre Silva who’ve skilled such an unimaginable loss.”
Slot: ‘We are going to keep in mind his objectives… and sing his track’
In a message that resonated with gamers, employees, and followers alike, Slot promised that Jota will probably be remembered for way over what he contributed on the pitch.
“There have been additionally the components that not everybody acquired to see,” he defined.
“The one that by no means sought reputation however discovered it anyway… somebody who made others be ok with themselves simply by being with them. An individual who cared deeply for his household.”
Slot added: “He was a teammate, a colleague, a workmate – and in all of these roles he was very particular.”
In his tribute, Slot additionally recalled studying Jota’s chant from the followers upon arriving at Anfield in 2024.
“I had not labored with him beforehand however I knew right away that if the Liverpool supporters, who’ve seen so many nice gamers through the years, had such a novel chant for Diogo, he should have particular qualities.”
Arne Slot asks for Liverpool followers to be there for one another
Slot urged the Liverpool squad and membership as an entire to unite of their grief and carry the burden collectively: “We want everybody on the membership to face collectively and to be there for each other.
“We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider household and to ourselves.”
The message ended on a line that has already struck a chord with many supporters:
“When the time is correct, we are going to rejoice Diogo Jota, we are going to keep in mind his objectives and we are going to sing his track.
“In the interim, we are going to keep in mind him as a novel human being and mourn his loss.
“His identify is Diogo.”
This can be a highly effective message from our head coach who is aware of how widespread the devastation will probably be from this harrowing information and he’ll now be one of many fundamental individuals in trying to select everybody up off the ground and attempt to discover some energy from this lowest of lows.
With funeral plans already confirmed, this mourning will happen the world over and over the course of the following few days, weeks and months.
