Liverpool FC announced this Friday the retirement of the number 20 from all its teams and categories in honor of the former footballer Diogo Jota, who died alongside his brother André Silva in a recent traffic accident on a Spanish highway.
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In addition, Diogo Jota and André Silva will be honored this Sunday in the friendly match against Preston North End to be held at Deepdale Stadium.
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How will Liverpool pay tribute to Diogo Jota?
The “Reds” will take to the field at 3:00 p.m. local time to play a match for the first time since both Portuguese brothers tragically died on July 3 on a road in Zamora, near Cernadilla in northern Spain.
Before the match, the “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, anthem of Liverpool, will be played, and also Preston will place a wreath of flowers next to the visiting fans.
A minute of silence will also be held in memory of Jota and Silva, tribute videos will be shown on the screen and on the electronic scoreboards of the field, while players from both teams will wear black armbands.
The event will be broadcast live worldwide thanks to the official television of the English club, starting the broadcast 45 minutes before the initial whistle.
First time Liverpool has retired a jersey number
Liverpool also highlighted that the number 20 was the one that Jota “wore with pride and distinction”, leading the team to “countless victories in the process”.
“After consulting with his wife, Rute, and his family, the club can announce that the team’s number will be retired in honor and memory of Diogo at all levels, including the LFC Women’s team and the Academy,” the “red” entity reported in a statement.
“It is a recognition not only of the immeasurable contribution that our boy from Portugal made to the ‘reds’ successes on the field over the past five years, but also of the profound personal impact he had on his teammates, colleagues, and followers and the lasting connections he built with them,” added the press release.
“As a club, we were all very aware of the sentiment of our fans, and we felt exactly the same,” stated Michael Edwards, Football Director at Fenway Sports Group, the American business conglomerate that owns Liverpool.
“For us, it was vital to involve Diogo’s wife, Rute, and his family in the decision and make sure they were the first to know our intention. This is the first time in Liverpool’s history that such an honor has been bestowed upon a person. Therefore, we can say that this is a unique tribute to an exceptionally wonderful person,” stated Edwards on the matter.
“By retiring this number from the team, we make it eternal and, therefore, we will never forget it. Diogo joined us in 2020, requested the number 20 jersey, and wore it with honor, distinction, and affection. As far as Liverpool is concerned, he will always be our number 20,” Edwards concluded.