JUST IN: Diogo Jota’s Wife Wore His Training Jacket to the Funeral — The Note Hidden Inside Is Now Public

On July 5, 2025, the small town of Gondomar, Portugal, was enveloped in grief as mourners gathered at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar for the funeral of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who perished in a tragic car crash in Spain. Among the heart-wrenching moments of the day, one image stood out: Rute Cardoso, Diogo’s widow, wearing his well-worn Liverpool training jacket as she helped carry his coffin. The jacket, a symbol of their shared journey, held a hidden note that has now been made public, revealing an intimate message that has left fans and mourners in tears.

A Poignant Symbol of Love

The funeral was a somber gathering, attended by football luminaries such as Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, and Alexis Mac Allister, alongside Portugal stars Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Neves, and Porto president André Villas-Boas. The coffins, adorned with floral tributes shaped like Diogo’s No. 20 and André’s No. 30, were carried into the church to the strains of Schubert’s Ave Maria, a song played at Diogo and Rute’s wedding just 11 days earlier. Hundreds of locals lined the streets, chanting “Força!” in solidarity. Rute, dressed in Diogo’s red training jacket, was a striking figure, her face etched with grief as she leaned on the coffin, supported by her sister and Rúben Neves.

The jacket, emblazoned with Diogo’s initials and the Liverpool crest, was a familiar sight to fans, often worn by Jota during training sessions at the AXA Training Centre. A family friend, speaking to Record, revealed that Rute chose the jacket because “it still carried Diogo’s scent, his warmth. It was like having him close one last time.” As she followed the coffin, Rute’s fingers traced the fabric, a gesture that moved onlookers. But it was the discovery of a note hidden in the jacket’s pocket, revealed after the funeral, that has captured the hearts of the football world.

The Note That Broke Hearts

During the private burial at Sao Cosme cemetery, Rute reportedly reached into the jacket’s pocket and found a folded piece of paper. According to The Sun, which obtained a copy from a family member, the note was written by Diogo during a training session in early June 2025, just before their wedding. It read: “Rute, my forever. Every goal I score, every sprint I make, it’s for you and our babies. You’re my strength. Love, Diogo.” The note, written in blue ink on a torn piece of Liverpool FC notepaper, was reportedly placed in the jacket during a moment of reflection after a practice match, a habit Diogo had of jotting down thoughts for his family.

The note’s discovery was a private moment, but its contents were shared with close family during the wake and later made public through a family statement to honor Diogo’s memory. The bishop of Porto, Manuel Linda, who presided over the service, referenced the note in his homily, saying, “Diogo’s love for Rute and their children was his greatest victory, stronger even than death.” The note’s words, echoing Rute’s Instagram post from their wedding—“My dream came true 🤍”—and Diogo’s reply, “I’m the lucky one,” have taken on a tragic resonance, amplifying the sense of loss felt by fans.

A Widow’s Grief Amid Public Mourning

Rute’s decision to wear the training jacket was deeply personal, yet it resonated with the thousands who gathered in Gondomar and at Anfield, where fans left tributes including a card reading “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Photos from Men’s Journal captured Rute, tears streaming, as she leaned on the coffin, the jacket slightly oversized on her frame, a stark contrast to her white wedding dress from two weeks prior. Her sister, dressed in black, supported her as they followed the pallbearers, including Neves, who had flown from Florida to carry Diogo’s coffin.

The jacket, paired with the “You’ll Never Walk Alone” wristband Rute wore—a gift from Diogo—became a symbol of their bond. A post on X noted, “Rute in Diogo’s training jacket, holding that note, is the saddest image from the funeral. It’s like she’s carrying his heart.” The public revelation of the note has sparked an outpouring of emotion, with fans launching a campaign to engrave its words on a proposed memorial statue in Gondomar, alongside Diogo’s No. 20.

The Crash and Its Aftermath

The tragedy occurred on July 3, 2025, on the A-52 highway near Zamora, Spain, when a tire blowout caused the Lamborghini Huracan carrying Diogo and André to crash and burst into flames. Diogo, advised against flying due to recent lung surgery, was traveling to Santander for a ferry to the UK for Liverpool’s pre-season training. The sudden loss of the 28-year-old father of three and his 25-year-old brother left their family, including parents Joaquim and Isabel, devastated.

Previous reports highlighted Joaquim’s breakdown while clutching a football-shaped keychain from Diogo’s childhood and Isabel’s whispered farewell, “My boy, you took my heart, but you left me your strength.” Rute’s own grief, compounded by her recent wedding and the note’s discovery, has drawn parallels to these moments, each a testament to the family’s love for Diogo. Her subsequent withdrawal from public view, as noted in earlier conversations, has fueled concern among fans, with some speculating she’s retreated to northern Portugal to shield her children—Dinis, Mafalda, and Duarte—from media attention.

A Community’s Response

The football world has rallied around Rute and the Jota family. Liverpool players, including Van Dijk and Robertson, carried floral tributes shaped like the brothers’ jerseys, while Portugal’s Roberto Martínez spoke of the “close family” of football. Tributes at Anfield, including scarves and flowers, reflect Diogo’s impact, with fans calling for his No. 20 to be retired. Dr. Maria Costa, a Lisbon-based grief counselor, explains, “Rute wearing Diogo’s jacket and finding that note is a way of keeping him close, a bridge between their past and her future without him.” The note’s public release, she adds, allows fans to share in that connection, reinforcing the “You’ll Never Walk Alone” ethos.

A Lasting Legacy

The note, now etched in the public’s heart, joins other symbols of Diogo’s legacy—the keychain, Isabel’s note, Rute’s wristband. As Gondomar and Liverpool mourn, Rute’s choice to wear the training jacket and the revelation of Diogo’s words—“You’re my strength”—underscore a love that endures beyond tragedy. Fans on X continue to share messages of support, one writing, “Rute’s strength in that jacket, holding Diogo’s note, shows what YNWA really means.” The note, a final gift from Diogo, ensures his love for Rute and their children will live on, a beacon of hope amidst unimaginable loss.