EA Sports removes Diogo Jota from game after fatal accident; player honored

Liverpool player Diogo Jota has been removed from EAFC after dying in a car accident at the age of 28; EA Sports and Liverpool have paid tribute to the athlete.

Player Diogo Jota has been removed from EAFC (formerly FIFA) by developer EA Sports. According to the company, this practice is always carried out when players die. In the case of the Liverpool player, he died prematurely in a car accident on July 3rd, at the age of 28 .

After the removal, however, EA Sports paid tribute to Diogo Jota. FC25 Ultimate Team players received a special pack with three jerseys worn by the striker throughout his career: a number 18 representing his time at Wolves, a number 19 from Porto, and his number 20 shirt from Liverpool.

"Part of the enormous legacy Jota leaves behind is his own eSports team, Luna Galaxy. He was as talented in the virtual world as he was in the real world, winning a FIFA Premier League tournament in 2020; he defeated Trent Alexander-Arnold in the final. He was also the highest-rated player in FUT Champions, a competitive game mode in Ultimate Team," says a post made by Liverpool.

On the real football pitch, Liverpool have decided to retire the number 20 shirt. Diogo Jota's name now sits in his own "forever" section of the club's squad list.

The Portuguese star died in an accident along with his brother André Silva, also a player, 25. The young man was a midfielder for FC Penafiel, a club currently playing in the second division of Portuguese football.