Why did Luis Diaz not attend Diogo Jota's Funeral?

Liverpool star Diogo Jota passed away on July 3, 2025, in a horrific car crash in Zamora, Spain. His Lamborghini reportedly suffered a tyre blowout at the Autovia A-52 highway, causing the car to veer off the road and crash. Further, their car was completely engulfed in flames, and as a result, Diogo Jota died on the spot alongside his brother, Andre Silva. Their death has sent shockwaves across the footballing world, with almost every footballer and club in Europe paying their respect to the Liverpool star. This includes even the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Kylian Mbappe and many other well-known stars and reputed clubs.
Liverpool have retired Diogo's jersey no. 20 to honour his legacy and hosted a memorial on July 5, where many former and current Liverpool players came forward to pay their respects. However, one Liverpool player, namely Luis Diaz, was not seen at Diogo Jota's funeral, and his reported whereabouts have led to him facing a lot of criticism.

Why did Luis Diaz not attend Diogo Jota Funeral?

Specific reasons as to why Luis Diaz did not attend Diogo Jota's funeral are not available currently, but several Liverpool players were present, namely Virgil Van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, and manager Arne Slot, amongst others. The ceremony was held in Gondomar, Portugal and Luis Diaz was not a part of the group of players who attended the funeral. Instead, Marca and a few other news outlets have reported him fulfilling his commercial commitments with various sponsors and influencers and a few videos have been posted as well where he was seen dancing and laughing.

This has caused a lot of controversy since Diogo Jota supported Luis Diaz when his father was kidnapped and even held up his jersey after scoring for Liverpool. Although Luis Diaz did not attend Diogo Jota's funeral, he was very moved by his death and shared a few words on social media: "I have no words... It hurts in my soul. Not just for what he was on the pitch, but for the person he was off of it. There are gestures that one never forgets, and Diogo had one with me that will accompany me all my life. My hug goes out to Rute, his three children and his family. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre."

How did Liverpool honor Diogo Jota?

Liverpool have announced a lovely gesture of support for the late Diogo Jota's family. The club announced that they will fulfill the remaining two years of Diogo Jota's contract which will provide the much needed financial stability his family needs. Liverpool have also suspended all promotional and media activities at Anfield for a memorial. The club also announced that they will be retiring Diogo's jersey no 20 as a sign of respect for the Portuguese international.

Which players attended Diogo Jota funeral?

Many current and former Liverpool players attended Diogo Jota funeral namely Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Thiago Alcantara.