A Tearful Galaxy of Football Stars…
In a display more emotional than a last-minute own goal, Ruben Neves turned up in Gondomar wearing his heart on his sleeve, and possibly his sock too, as he joined a bevy of stars to say goodbye to his buddy’s buddy, Diogo Jota, and Jota’s brother, Andre Silva. The duo danced their way into the afterlife following a tragic car crash, leaving an entire country and their football family clutching Kleenex boxes like last night’s pizza box.
Neves, who once shared his football boots and player confusion with Jota at Wolves, wrote a social media tribute so moving that it could have won the Best Script award at the Football Drama Oscars. He promised to hold Jota’s spot in every team bus and dinner table from here to the moon and back, because that’s what mates do — they sprout poetic FIFA birds from their hearts in times of sadness.
Meanwhile, even Virgil van Dijk, whose defense is usually as solid as granny’s pudding, was seen moisture-eyed among the Liverpool caravan that made this sacred pilgrimage. As Jota takes his place on that eternal pitch in the clouds, Neves’ tribute remained as powerful as a screaming volley from outside the penalty area. Vamos, Diogoal, here’s to you, the zestiest lemonade of them all!
