The Premier League felt a poignant moment this weekend as Wolverhampton Wanderers honored the late Diogo Jota ahead of their match against Manchester City.
Fans at Molineux Stadium came together to celebrate the life of the talented forward, with his widow Rute Cardoso and family watching from the stands.
The emotional tribute came after Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain on July 3, leaving the football community in shock.
A Minute of Silence and Emotional Scenes
Before kickoff, Wolves observed a minute’s silence, while Jota’s image appeared on the front of the match programme.
The club’s supporters displayed an enormous tifo, and a banner beneath it read: “We’ll remember you when you walk in fields of gold,” a nod to Jota’s favorite song by Sting.
Fans also applauded in the 18th minute to honor the shirt number he wore at Wolves.
Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, married just 11 days before the tragedy, was visibly emotional, standing alongside his parents and former Portugal teammate Ruben Neves.
Even Wolves’ goalkeeper Jose Sa appeared on the verge of tears as players from both teams lined up at the center circle.
Jota’s Legacy at Wolves
Diogo Jota first joined Wolves on loan from Atletico Madrid in 2017, helping the club secure promotion to the Premier League.
He spent three seasons with the Midlands side, scoring 44 goals in 131 games, helping them finish seventh twice, and reaching the Europa League quarter-finals in 2019-20.
His performances included back-to-back hat-tricks against Besiktas and Espanyol in the Europa League, including the fastest European hat-trick in club history—three goals in just 11 minutes against Besiktas.
He became a modern hero for Wolves before making a £41 million move to Liverpool in 2020, where he went on to win the Premier League.
Jota’s dedication and skill left a lasting mark, and he has since been inducted into Wolves’ Hall of Fame.
Some floral tributes are set to be displayed permanently at the Wolves Museum.
Premier League-Wide Tributes
The football community rallied to honor Jota across the Premier League this weekend.
Stadiums observed a minute of silence, players wore black armbands, and special tributes were made at Liverpool’s home ground, Anfield.
On Friday night, Liverpool fans held up a mosaic to remember Jota during their 4-2 win against Bournemouth, and the match programme was dedicated to him.
Images of Jota and Silva were displayed on stadium screens, and Liverpool players wore the “Forever 20” emblem in their memory.
Emotional Night for Liverpool
The game was charged with emotion. Mohamed Salah scored late in the match, mimicking Jota’s signature “crocodile” celebration, and broke down in tears at full time.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot acknowledged the intensity of the moment, saying: “I think Mo felt how special that was. He probably felt the emotions.
Diogo’s wife is here, his family is here, his children are here. We also feel the emotions, the grief they still have.”
Slot praised Salah’s gesture, adding, “After the fans sang so many times for him, it’s nice he gave them something in return.
That’s what he did today. Unbelievable atmosphere in the last few minutes.”