Just three days after Diogo Jota and his brother André tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain, Ed Sheeran paid a heartfelt tribute to the Liverpool forward during his July 5 concert in Lisbon. While Ed and Jota had never worked together publicly, they had formed a quiet friendship, connecting over shared admiration and late-night conversations during matches at Anfield.
Ed, a passionate football supporter and honorary Liverpool fan, had once described Jota as “a silent storm on the pitch.” The devastating news of Jota’s death hit him hard, and during his show, he chose to express his grief through music.
Midway through his set, Ed paused the performance and spoke to the audience in English with a Portuguese accent:
> “There’s someone from this country who brought joy not just to football but to people’s lives. Diogo Jota wasn’t only a player — he was a father, a brother, and someone full of dreams. Tonight, we remember him.”
The lights dimmed to Liverpool’s signature red, and Ed performed a moving version of *Photograph*, subtly altering the lyrics to reflect the loss:
*We keep this love in a photograph / We made these memories for ourselves…
Your boots won’t walk these fields again / But your fire never left.*
Behind him, images of Jota — scoring goals, celebrating with family, and smiling as a child — played on screen. The crowd fell silent, many visibly moved. Among them were Liverpool players Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Díaz, seen embracing and in tears.
As Ed sang, the crowd spontaneously began chanting “Jota,” a raw and powerful tribute that filled the stadium. Ed stepped back, allowing the chorus of grief and admiration to rise. He returned quietly to the mic and said:
> “This one’s for a lion we lost too soon.”
Through music and vulnerability, Ed Sheeran gave voice to a collective mourning that words alone couldn’t capture.
Later that evening, he shared a single image on Instagram: Jota’s jersey resting on his piano stool, accompanied by the caption:
> *“Rest easy, Diogo. You made your dream count. Now we’ll carry it for you.”*
Sometimes the most powerful tributes aren’t flashy. Sometimes, all you need is a guitar, a voice, and the courage to feel.