Liverpool player Luis Díaz has spoken publicly for the first time after receiving criticism for not attending the funeral of his teammate, Diogo Jota. Jota died in a car accident in Spain along with his brother, and both were laid to rest in São Cosme, just outside Porto. It was the same location where Jota and his wife, Rute Cardoso, had gotten married less than two weeks earlier.
Several Liverpool players, including Virgil van Dijk and manager Arne Slot, traveled to Portugal to attend the funeral. Although other stars, like Cristiano Ronaldo, were not present, many fans were surprised that Díaz didn’t attend either.
Now, the Colombian forward has opened up about his feelings regarding Jota’s passing. In an interview with WinSportsTV, Díaz shared how difficult it was to deal with the news.
“It’s very hard to hear news like that. No one is ever ready for something like this. When I joined Liverpool, he and his family made me feel at home. We became good friends and shared a great bond. We had a healthy rivalry that helped both of us grow.”
Although Díaz didn’t explain exactly why he missed the funeral, reports suggest it may have been due to his recent travel to Colombia, which likely made it hard to attend
.Díaz also recalled how Jota supported him during a very difficult moment in his life. In October 2023, Díaz’s father was kidnapped in Colombia and held hostage for 12 days. During that time, Jota showed his support by holding up a jersey with Díaz’s name after scoring a goal against Nottingham Forest.
“That was a beautiful gesture I’ll never forget,” Díaz said. “I carry him in my heart as a true friend. I send my deepest condolences to his family, his wife, and his children. I know they are suffering a lot.”
“When I saw the news, I broke down in tears. It hurt so much. It was a very, very big pain.”
