Jose Mourinho offers support to Liverpool over Diogo Jota after suffering similar tragedy

Jose Mourinho has paid a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, after the Liverpool forward and his younger brother Andre Silva tragically lost their lives in a car accident in northern Spain on Thursday. The football world has been left reeling by the death of the Portuguese forward, with footballing greats such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among those expressing their condolences.

He is being laid to rest alongside his brother on Saturday morning in their hometown of Gondomar. The brothers were killed when a tyre on Jota's Lamborghini burst, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and catch fire. This tragic incident occurred less than a fortnight after the Liverpool ace married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso - the mother of his three children. Messages of shock and disbelief have poured in from current and former Liverpool players, who are struggling to comprehend the loss of someone who recently celebrated winning both the Premier League and Nations League trophies and was only 28 years old.

Mourinho, a Portuguese compatriot of Jota's, spoke to Sky Sports on Friday, lauding Jota's humility and character. "When people leave this world, normally we all say, 'He was such a nice guy'. Diogo was really a nice guy," Mourinho said at Silverstone, the venue for Sunday's British Formula One Grand Prix.

"He had my agent, he had my structure, so of course I knew a lot about him. And people in Liverpool, they know what I'm saying is the truth. He's a lad that nothing was easy for him.

"You have to fight to arrive where you arrive. From this generation, he was not chasing protagonism; it was the protagonist that found him because of his talent. And the history is something really crazy.

"Three kids that stay without a dad, a young woman without her husband, the parents that lose both sons, it's crazy. It's difficult to understand. Maybe one day we will understand, but not now."

The storied coach also shared how grief united his Porto team years ago, emphasising communal resilience. Former Porto midfielder Rui Felipe was just 26 when he tragically died in a car accident back in 1994. Mourinho was assistant manager to Sir Bobby Robson at the time.

Sharing with Liverpool how they can look to cope with such a tragedy, Mourinho offered support as he continued: "It happened with me many, many years ago when I was working with Mr. [Bobby] Robson at Porto. One of our boys, also a loved boy, died in a car crash and the team was champions.

"Instead of the boys suffering alone, it was like the group was suffering together and trying to fight for his memory. It was a boy called Rui Felipe and we were champions, I think, for him.

"So I think in Liverpool they are going to suffer together, also the fans. I think the club is also a fantastic club. I think they already decided or are deciding to take away the shirt number 20.

"So, I always think he will always be at Anfield, will be always part of the family and maybe they lose a player, but maybe they win even more so than what they had."