Football paid a heartwarming tribute to Diogo Jota at Monday night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, with the Liverpool star’s wife Rute Cardoso watching on at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
The game is still in mourning after Anfield hero Jota was tragically killed alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in a car accident on July 3 when travelling through northern Spain.
Jota had married childhood sweetheart Rute just 11 days before his death. The pair share three young children.
And on Monday night, Rute wore an ethereal white gown as Jota and Andre Silva were remembered at the star-studded bash in Paris, where teammates Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker were visibly moved by the emotional tribute.
‘This summer the football family was left in shock when we learned of the passing of Diogo Jota, who lost his life alongside his brother, Andre Silva,’ said Kate Scott, who was hosting the ceremony alongside Netherlands legend Ruud Gullit.
Gullit added: ‘Jota was a fan favourite who gave everything for his club and his nation, and was loved by his teammates, and supporters. Together, let us remember them.
A video reel showing some of the best footballing moments from both stars was then shown in the theatre, with van Dijk and Becker looking emotional as they applauded alongside the rest of the audience.
‘We do know that their family are actually here with us this evening so we would just like to say we are so sorry for your loss,’ Scott said.
Jota’s wife was pictured on the red carpet wearing a white dress ahead of the ceremony.
Other notable names from Liverpool, including manager Arne Slot, also attended the event.
In the weeks following Jota’s passing, tributes have been paid from across the footballing world – including from his former clubs Liverpool and Wolves, who celebrated his life at the start of the Premier League season.
Jota was a popular figure among his fellow footballers, with Everton star Beto revealing how his fellow Portuguese helped him settle in Liverpool when he joined the Toffees in 2023.
Beto was among the Everton delegation which laid flowers outside Anfield following the news of Jota’s death.
And the striker, who like Jota was born in Portugal, said the late Liverpool forward had sent him an Instagram message shortly after his arrival in the city following his £25.8million move from Torino.
The message from Jota read: ”I’m happy for you. If you need anything in the city, I can help you. Just give me a shout.’
‘Of all the big names from Portugal that play in England, he was the first one to text me,’ Beto said. ‘The day I signed or the next day.
‘You have Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and he was the first guy, the first person.
‘We were not friends but, you know, when you play against Portuguese players and everything, we normally stop, we speak a little bit.
‘After every game that we play against Liverpool, we talk a little bit. I ask, “How is everything?” Not just because he was Portuguese, but he was a really, really nice person. Humble. And you can see what everyone says about him.
‘The day that thing happened, I was at home in Portugal. That day I would travel to Manchester to come here for the pre-season. And I was shocked. I was shocked because Diogo was a really good guy.’
The 27-year-old said he saw a ‘togetherness’ between Liverpool and Everton in the wake of Jota’s passing.
‘If I go to Anfield on a Saturday and they boo me it’s normal.
‘They’re not going to be thinking: ‘Oh, Beto is a good guy because he went to lay flowers for Diogo.’ It’s not the same.
‘But when it matters, when it was about life, they were there because they are human.
‘Of course, I have respect for Diogo and the Liverpool community.
‘ I go there to play and to win and I will not try to have any action that shows them disrespect because when I went there, they showed me respect.’
