Fans holding Portugal flags, flowers, and other memorabilia were spotted weeping as they lined up to pay their respects to Diogo Jota.
Those in attendance were President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, national team stars João Moutinho, Diogo Dalot, and Ricardo Horta, as well as Jota’s agent Jorge Mendes.
Jota spent years as a young lad playing for local team Gondomar SC, which will name its academy after him in 2022.
Its sign features a phrase from Jota: “It’s not about where we come from, but where we’re going.”
Shirts and scarves were placed out in front of the club, surrounded by candles.
The 28-year-old father of three, who won the Nations League with Portugal and the Premier League with Liverpool this year, married his long-term wife, Rute Cardoso, just 11 days before the deadly incident.
He was returning to Liverpool for pre-season training, using the vehicle and ferry since he had minor surgery and had been instructed not to fly.
Liverpool described his death as a “tragedy that transcends” the club.
Fans also grieved outside the club’s Anfield stadium.
Former captain Jordan Henderson was spotted in tears as he laid a wreath, holding a note that read, “Rest in peace, my friend, and your brother André.” “We’ll all miss you.”
There was also a sad moment at Oasis’ reunion concert on Friday evening when Jota’s image showed on screen at the end of Live Forever, triggering ovation throughout Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah revealed he was dreading returning to the club following Jota’s shocking death.
“I am truly lost for words. Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break,” Salah wrote in a post on social media.
A group from Liverpool’s city rival Everton, featuring Portugal-born strikers Beto and Youssef Chermiti, also arrived and placed flowers outside Anfield.
Former Liverpool councillor Peter Millea, a Home and Away regular who had arrived to pay his respects, told the BBC, “There was something about him as a player when he first came to us that he became an instant hit.
“He was one of those players you can easily take to because of the manner in which he conducted himself on and off the pitch and the important goals he scored.”
Mr Millea stated that some fans at Anfield had broken into impromptu renditions of the chant while paying their respects.
“I’m sure we’ll hear it loud and clear at Wembley for the Community Shield, and we’ll hear it at Preston for the first pre-season away game; you know it’ll be sung around the field against Athletic Bilbao and then during the course of the rest of the season and probably forevermore,” he said.
Fans also put flowers, scarves, and shirts outside Wolves’ Molineux Stadium, where Jota had previously played before joining Liverpool.
At Wimbledon, Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral wore a black ribbon to commemorate the deaths of his countrymen.
A minute’s silence was observed during the Women’s Euro 2025 game between Denmark and Sweden.
Liverpool has cancelled pre-season fitness tests that were due to take place today for some players as a result of Jota’s death. A phased return of training will now begin on Monday.
The funeral service for the dead players will be held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme in Gondomar at 10:00 on Saturday.
