Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and MMA fighter Gustavo Oliveira have all paid special tribute to Diogo Jota following the tragic death of the Liverpool and Portugal forward.
Mbappe scored a late winner for Real Madrid in their 3-2 Club World Cup quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund. But instead of his usual celebration, the French star walked to the sideline, raised both hands to the sky, and formed the number 20 with his fingers, Jota’s Liverpool shirt number. He then bowed his head in silence before joining his teammates.
It was a quiet but powerful gesture for a player who has touched the football world.
Diogo Jota, 28, died in a car crash in Spain on Thursday morning, alongside his younger brother Andre Silva. The news has left fans, players, and coaches heartbroken. Their funeral was held on Saturday in Gondomar, Portugal.
PSG winger Ousmane Dembele also found his way to honour Jota. After scoring in a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich, he did Jota’s famous FIFA gaming celebration, pretending to hold a controller in front of the camera. Jota was a well-known FIFA fan, often sharing clips of himself playing and celebrating.
In the MMA world, Portugal’s Gustavo Oliveira added his name to the list of tributes. After delivering a stunning spinning back elbow knockout at PFL Europe 2, the 28-year-old held up a handmade shirt with “Jota” and the number 20 on it. It was a proud moment of victory, but he made sure the spotlight stayed on his fellow countryman.
Jota’s loss has shaken the football community, but these tributes, on the pitch, in the cage, and across the world, show just how much he was loved and respected.
