As the sun reached its peak, first-team players of FC Paços de Ferreira engaged in rigorous pre-season training, their routines marked by relentless runs under the intense heat of midday.
Once their session concluded, the athletes slowly dispersed in small groups, seeking shade and refreshment to combat the exhaustion of their exertions.
Yet, just a short distance away on Rua do Estádio, the atmosphere was somber. The club’s flag flew at half-mast, a visual representation of the collective grief permeating the community.
An electronic billboard above the west stand displayed a poignant message and a photograph: “Forever,” it read, accompanied by an image of Diogo Jota.
Inside the main stand, the first-team changing room featured aged wooden lockers and a green and white checkerboard floor. It was here in October 2014 that Jota donned the yellow jersey of Paços de Ferreira for his senior debut.
When he transferred to Atlético Madrid two years later, the financial influx enabled the club to erect a new eastern stand, equipped with modern facilities.
“We call that the Diogo Jota stand,” shared Paulo Gonçalves, the club’s long-serving technical secretary, pointing towards the newly built structure.
His finger directed towards the far end of the pitch. “That was where he scored his first goal,” he recalled, then gestured towards the tribune. “He ran and hugged his mum over there.”
Jota’s time with Paços was relatively brief—he played just 45 matches. However, as his career soared from the modest club to international fame, he steadfastly maintained a connection to his roots.
Deep gratitude guided him, acknowledging Paços for believing in his potential when larger clubs overlooked him.
His commitment to youth players was evident: in the summer of the previous year, he acted as a ‘godfather’ during a tournament, providing advice and support from afar.
“He was always in touch, always sending us messages, especially in difficult moments,” Gonçalves expressed, his voice thick with emotion.
Since the tragic passing of Jota and his brother, André Silva, stories of his kindness and humanity have emerged from the many lives he touched.
Whether from Liverpool, Wolverhampton, or countless other places, it’s clear that Jota had a profound impact on people far and wide.
However, it was traveling through northern Portugal that revealed the deeply personal nature of this tragedy.
Born in Porto and raised in Gondomar, a quiet suburb, Jota’s early life revolved around local football. His grandfather still resides in the same neighborhood, and his parents live next door; the family shared memories of playing football in the adjoining yard.
Following his departure from SC Gondomar, his next step was only a 30-minute journey to Paços.
Eventually, he returned to the region with FC Porto, while his brother played for another local team, Penafiel.
Their father, Joaquim, spent his youth in nearby Foz de Sousa, and Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, grew up in the district of Jovim.
In mourning, the entire region felt the weight of the losses, with many locals experiencing a deep personal connection to the brothers.
Vitor Borges, a taxi driver who worked with Jota’s mother, Isabel, at the Ficosa car factory for many years, recalled the struggles the family overcame to raise their children.
“Her and her husband overcame a lot to raise those boys,” he reflected mournfully. “And all of it gone, just like that. No one deserves this, but least of all her.”
Similarly, Miguel Pereira, a former neighbor and friend, reminisced about childhood memories playing football with Jota and André. He shared a photo of his son Vasco with Jota from May 2024.
“It was a year ago but it feels like yesterday,” he remarked nostalgically.
Pereira had come to Gondomar SC’s headquarters to pay his respects, bringing along his son and cousin, both members of the under-eight team.
They had recently clinched their local league title, and in tribute, the boys laid down their trophy, adorned with a Gondomar scarf.
At Gondomar’s academy, which bears Jota’s name, his face can be seen on the side of the main stand alongside images chronicling his journey from local talent to national hero.
On Friday afternoon, this site had transformed into a makeshift memorial, filled with flowers, candles, scarves, and heartfelt tributes.
Messages expressing grief and admiration adorned the items left behind. “You will always be our hero,” one read, while another stated, “Diogo and André, forever sons of this land.”
At the rear of the main stand, an aging training pitch and the club’s minibus served as a reminder of Jota’s formative years spent training there between 2005 and 2013.
It was likely that the same minibus transported the brothers to their games, their dreams and aspirations taking shape along those familiar roads.
Meanwhile, six starlings perched under the goal as the sprinklers watered the main pitch, creating an unexpected scene of tranquility amid the sorrow.
As more people arrived, the sense of community was palpably strong; two girls in Liverpool shirts and young men stealing a moment from their lunch breaks came to pay respects, each with their stories intertwined with Jota’s legacy.
Pedro Figueiredo, a devoted Porto fan, expressed his admiration: “He played for my club and I admired him a lot. He came from nothing and worked immensely hard.”
Eugénia Dias, alongside her granddaughter, laid a hydrangea in honor of Jota, claiming he was an idol for Gondomar’s people.
“My son played with him when they were small, maybe five or six. We’re all in mourning. We felt he was ours, in a way.”
A sign near Gondomar indicated that it is known as Portugal’s goldsmith capital, with around 450 jewelry businesses operating in the region.
This detail resonated deeply; Jota was a rare gem, whose success stemmed from hard work and perseverance, rather than being a guaranteed superstar from the start.
Until the age of 17, he played for Gondomar, eventually moving to Paços when Porto chose not to pursue him.
His journey was marked by determination and resilience, making him a symbol for the community that watched him rise.
“He was a humble man, someone who fought for everything he had in his life,” said Maria Nogueira, a Gondomar resident.
Standing outside the Matriz de Gondomar church on a Friday afternoon, she was among the many awaiting the public wake set to begin shortly.
By 4 PM, a growing crowd had gathered, a mix of local residents, friends, and football fans united in their grief.
When the doors of the chapel opened, they streamed in, lined up under the warm afternoon sun.
Men and women greeted each other with soft kisses and exchanged quiet smiles, holding flowers and wreaths as they entered to offer prayers and remembrances.
Fernando Eusebio, donning a Porto shirt, felt compelled to pay tribute, unsure how he would react once inside to see the coffins.
Outside, a man clutched a large bouquet, sharing he was a childhood friend of Cardoso, Jota’s widow, and struggled to verbalize his thoughts amidst the sorrow.
Inside the chapel, Jota’s parents were seen sobbing while Cardoso was visibly stricken by grief, a scene that underscored the heaviness of their loss.
As the church bells tolled at 5 PM, the line of mourners continued to grow, converging on the chapel as workday ended, the steady flow of attendees representing a community in pain.
Despite the tension of the day, the crowd managed to bring together a wide array of supporters, including friends, family, and even club officials who shared in the heartache.
The following day would bring both a funeral service and an outpouring of further emotion, with various faces, including members of Liverpool and Jota’s teammates flying in from around the world to pay respects.
This gathering would stand testament to football’s reach and the lives touched by Jota’s journey.
Among the local mourners, one couldn’t help but reflect on solidarity and the roots that bind communities, as Jota’s deep attachment to his origins resonated profoundly throughout this time of mourning.
While for the family, the pain remains raw and almost inconceivable, there is hope that this anguish will later transform into gratitude for the 28 years they had with him, savored memories, and the joy he brought to those around him.
As Maria Nogueira inside the chapel grasped a bouquet attached with a note reading, “Thank you, Diogo, for making so many people happy,” the sense of love and admiration reverberated through the air, a reminder of the profound legacy he leaves behind.
image source from：nytimes
