Porto, Portugal — July 5, 2025
In an unprecedented and chaotic scene this morning, the cemetery where footballer Diogo Jota was recently laid to rest became the epicenter of a massive security incident, after hundreds of fans, onlookers, and media personnel swarmed the area, triggering a police intervention — and setting a bizarre record for a funeral site in the UK and Portugal.
What was meant to be a quiet, sacred space for grieving turned into a crowded frenzy as news of a “never-before-seen tribute” spread rapidly online, drawing masses of people from neighboring towns and even overseas.
What Exactly Happened?
Witnesses say that around 10:40 AM, a group of fans arrived to pay respects at Jota’s grave — but were shocked to find what appeared to be a glass-covered memorial capsule installed by his family just hours earlier. The capsule allegedly contained:
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A Liverpool jersey signed by his teammates
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A drawing from his young son
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A personalized letter from his wife
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And, reportedly, a lock of Jota’s hair encased in crystal
Word spread like wildfire on social media, with images tagged #JotaLegacyCapsule drawing more than 2 million views in under an hour.
Within minutes, crowds began forming, with people climbing over fences, standing on headstones, and shoving each other to get a photo of the tribute — something cemetery staff say has never occurred before in the UK’s modern funeral history.
“We’ve never seen anything like it,” said one cemetery employee. “People were crying, taking selfies, livestreaming — one man even tried to open the glass capsule.”
Police Forced to Intervene
Local police were called in shortly after 11:15 AM to control the crowd, block further access, and restore order. Barricades were set up, and mounted officers were seen escorting people away after several refused to leave the area when asked.
“It was chaos,” said a mourner who had quietly arrived to pay respects. “I came to say goodbye — and instead found what felt like a music festival.”
At least two individuals were briefly detained for attempting to damage cemetery property while trying to “get a closer look” at the sealed capsule.
Family Response and Next Steps
A spokesperson for the Jota family issued a brief statement:
“We are overwhelmed by the love for Diogo, but we kindly ask for respect and peace at his final resting place.”
Security has since been significantly increased, with limited visitation hours now in effect and a plan underway to temporarily remove the tribute capsule to prevent further disruption.
A Nation in Grief — and Obsession
While some have criticized the “spectacle” created by the crowd, others say it reflects just how deeply Diogo Jota touched the hearts of fans.
“It wasn’t just a footballer’s grave,” one teen fan said. “It was a symbol of everything he meant to us — and we wanted to be part of it.”