July 26, (THEWILL) — Liverpool FC has announced plans to construct a permanent memorial sculpture honouring former player Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who died in a car crash in northern Spain on July 3.
The tribute will incorporate flowers, scarves, and jerseys left by fans outside Anfield, which have been collected and stored for the project. Floral tributes will be composted for use in club grounds, while other items will be recycled into the memorial.
Jota, who married his partner Rute Cardoso 11 days before the accident, was a father of three. His shirt number, 20, has been retired by the club.
Liverpool players will wear a ‘Forever 20’ emblem on their kits and jackets throughout the 2025/2026 season as a mark of respect. The club confirmed the memorial will serve as a lasting tribute at Anfield.
A preliminary tribute was held during Liverpool’s friendly against Preston on July 12.
The main commemoration, including a fan mosaic and a minute’s silence, will take place before their English Premier League opener against Bournemouth on August 15. The club stated the memorial’s design will be finalised in consultation with Jota’s family.
The decision to repurpose fan tributes follows a similar approach taken by other clubs to honour late players.
Liverpool emphasised sustainability in the process, with specialist contractors handling the recycling. No timeline has been set for the sculpture’s completion, but the club confirmed updates will be shared publicly.
Jota, who was 28 at the time of his death, spent four seasons at Liverpool, scoring 44 goals in 129 appearances.
His 26-year-old brother Andre Silva was also a former youth footballer. The crash remains under investigation by Spanish authorities.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
