AC Milan forward Rafael Leão honoured the memory of his late international teammate Diogo Jota with a touching tribute after scoring against Liverpool in a preseason friendly on Friday.
Leão opened the scoring midway through the first half, finishing off a swift counterattack after being released by Christian Pulisic. With Liverpool caught high up the pitch, the Portuguese winger raced into space and slotted the ball calmly past the goalkeeper to give Milan the lead.
After scoring, Leão raised his hands to form the number 20 with his fingers, a symbolic gesture in memory of Jota. The number represented Jota’s squad number and served as a personal tribute to his fallen compatriot.
Diogo Jota and his brother André died in a tragic car accident in Spain last month. The news sent shockwaves through the football world and led to an outpouring of tributes from clubs, players and fans across Europe.
In addition to Leão’s gesture, the entire stadium joined in a moment of respect in the 20th minute, pausing to remember Jota’s life and legacy.
Liverpool responded shortly after, with Dominik Szoboszlai equalising six minutes later to send both teams into the break level. While the match carried a competitive edge, the evening was marked by emotion and remembrance, with Leão’s tribute standing out as one of the defining moments.
Liverpool named their starting lineup for the fixture, with Florian Wirtz handed his first start in front of fans. The Reds are currently in Hong Kong for the first leg of their Far East tour, with kickoff at 12.30 pm UK time at the Kai Tak Stadium.
Alisson Becker started in goal for the first time this summer. Szoboszlai, expected to play at right-back, joined Luca Stephenson, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson in defence.
Tyler Morton and Ryan Gravenberch partnered Harvey Elliott in midfield, while Mohamed Salah captained the side from the front, alongside Wirtz and 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who retained his place after impressing against Preston.
There was no place in the squad for Darwin Nunez or Luis Diaz, both omitted entirely. However, head coach Arne Slot named a strong bench featuring Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konate, Jeremie Frimpong and Cody Gakpo.
