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Former Liverpool defender Nat Phillips has penned an emotional tribute message to Diogo Jota on social media. The Portuguese forward and his younger brother, Andre, tragically passed away last Thursday (July 3), following a car crash in Spain.
Jota and his brother were laid to rest on Saturday (July 6), but the football world continues to mourn his demise with condolence messages and tributes pouring in from fans and teammates. Ex-Reds centre-back Phillips took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt message to Jota.
In a lengthy post, the 28-year-old, who recently signed for Championship side West Bromwich Albion, admitted that he has been struggling to deal with the tragic incident. He reminisced about his time at Anfield with the late footballer, writing:
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"I’ve got to be honest I’ve been struggling with this, as I’m worried I don’t have the words. How do I even begin to do justice to someone who was loved by all of us, someone who lit up countless lives and meant so much to just as many?"
"Jots, along with the rest of the world, I’m really going to miss you mate. It was a pleasure and an honour to share the dressing room with you and to be part of so many special moments and memories that we shared," Phillips continued
"You were always up for a laugh and a wind up. More than anything else, you always stayed true to yourself regardless of your success in life. The reality is that nothing was ever going to change you. You were too good, too grounded for that. A top friend, a magical footballer but most importantly a special human being. Rest in peace Diogo and Andre. Sending all my love and strength to your family ❤️," he added.
Nat Phillips came up through the ranks at Liverpool and made his senior debut in January 2020. In the summer of that year, Jota joined the Merseyside club from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Although the English defender was not a regular at Anfield, going on six different loans between 2019 and 2025, he shared the pitch 13 times with Jota. They combined for one goal, with the Phillips providing an assist to Jota in Liverpool's 4-2 away league win over Manchester United in the 2020-21 season.
Liverpool extends heartfelt gesture to Diogo Jota's family
According to a report by Record (via TEAMTalk), Liverpool have offered to pay up Diogo Jota's contract in full to his family. The 28-year-old tragically passed away days after tying the knot with his wife, Rute Cardoso. They had three kids together.
Jota reportedly earned about £140,000 per week and was contracted to the Premier League giants until the summer of 2027. To show support to the family, the Merseyside club have reportedly offered to pay his wages till that period.
The late Portuguese star joined Liverpool in 2020 from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported £41 million fee plus add-ons. He scored 65 goals and set up 26 more in 182 games for the club. Jota also won the Premier League, the FA Cup, and two EFL Cups with Liverpool.
