Club league pays tribute ahead of draw

The president of the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP), Reinaldo Teixeira, today paid tribute, on behalf of the organization, to Diogo Jota and André Silva, Portuguese footballers who died on Thursday in a road accident in Spain.

“Two of our talents left us too soon. Even so, we decided to be here today [at the draw] because, more than ever, we felt that we should be together,” said the director, before the draw for the professional competitions of the 2025/26 season, which takes place at the organization’s headquarters, in Porto.

The leader of the LPFP justified the ceremony as a moment of unity for the Portuguese football family, also transforming it into a space for tribute.

“We believe that having the football family gathered here today, in the home of Professional Football, is a moment of inspiration and reflection, in which each of us commits to honoring the values, example and passion that football can and should represent, as the brothers André Silva and Diogo Jota did, with generosity and dedication”, he stated.

The League president highlighted the human impact of the tragedy and reaffirmed the organization's institutional support for those left behind.

“There are no words that can truly describe the pain that is being experienced. Liga Portugal expresses its deepest solidarity to the family, friends and all those who today mourn these irreparable losses,” he declared.

In a speech that combined homage and commitment, Reinaldo Teixeira reinforced the promise that the legacy of the two footballers will be honored continuously.

“I speak with the firmness, respect and promise of support that this moment demands and deserves. The greatest talent in Portuguese football is represented here today, in this audience, with André Silva and Diogo Jota in my thoughts and also in my hearts,” he said.

Even before the draw, the president of the LPFP highlighted the “League Ambassadors” project, an initiative that aims to honor players who have contributed to the history of national football and reinforce the social role of the League, which this year has 22 new members.

“The concept of ambassadors, which the current executive board decided to reinforce, represents the memory of the values ​​of Portuguese football on and off the field,” he said, explaining that the ambassadors will play an active role in educational and charitable causes.

He concluded: “More than just a sporting symbol, the ambassadors will contribute to a more inclusive, conscious and socially-developed football. The new ambassadors will visit local schools, clubs and institutions, promoting the connection between Liga Portugal and its fans.”

Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 25, died in the early hours of Thursday morning in a traffic accident on the A52, in Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain.

The Portuguese international forward played for Liverpool, a club he had represented for five seasons and with which he won an English League, an FA Cup and two League Cups, also becoming champion of the Championship, the English second tier, with Wolverhampton.

After training at Gondomar and Paços de Ferreira, the forward played for FC Porto for a season, on loan from Atlético de Madrid, and was then loaned by the Spanish club to Wolverhampton, where he spent three seasons.

In the main Portuguese team, Diogo Jota won 49 caps and scored 14 goals, having won two editions of the Nations League, the most recent last month in Munich.

The president of the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP), Reinaldo Teixeira, today paid tribute, on behalf of the organization, to Diogo Jota and André Silva, Portuguese footballers who died on Thursday in a road accident in Spain.

“Two of our talents left us too soon. Even so, we decided to be here today [at the draw] because, more than ever, we felt that we should be together,” said the director, before the draw for the professional competitions of the 2025/26 season, which takes place at the organization’s headquarters, in Porto.

The leader of the LPFP justified the ceremony as a moment of unity for the Portuguese football family, also transforming it into a space for tribute.

“We believe that having the football family gathered here today, in the home of Professional Football, is a moment of inspiration and reflection, in which each of us commits to honoring the values, example and passion that football can and should represent, as the brothers André Silva and Diogo Jota did, with generosity and dedication”, he stated.

The League president highlighted the human impact of the tragedy and reaffirmed the organization's institutional support for those left behind.

“There are no words that can truly describe the pain that is being experienced. Liga Portugal expresses its deepest solidarity to the family, friends and all those who today mourn these irreparable losses,” he declared.

In a speech that combined homage and commitment, Reinaldo Teixeira reinforced the promise that the legacy of the two footballers will be honored continuously.

“I speak with the firmness, respect and promise of support that this moment demands and deserves. The greatest talent in Portuguese football is represented here today, in this audience, with André Silva and Diogo Jota in my thoughts and also in my hearts,” he said.

Even before the draw, the president of the LPFP highlighted the “League Ambassadors” project, an initiative that aims to honor players who have contributed to the history of national football and reinforce the social role of the League, which this year has 22 new members.

“The concept of ambassadors, which the current executive board decided to reinforce, represents the memory of the values ​​of Portuguese football on and off the field,” he said, explaining that the ambassadors will play an active role in educational and charitable causes.

He concluded: “More than just a sporting symbol, the ambassadors will contribute to a more inclusive, conscious and socially-developed football. The new ambassadors will visit local schools, clubs and institutions, promoting the connection between Liga Portugal and its fans.”

Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 25, died in the early hours of Thursday morning in a traffic accident on the A52, in Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain.

The Portuguese international forward played for Liverpool, a club he had represented for five seasons and with which he won an English League, an FA Cup and two League Cups, also becoming champion of the Championship, the English second tier, with Wolverhampton.

After training at Gondomar and Paços de Ferreira, the forward played for FC Porto for a season, on loan from Atlético de Madrid, and was then loaned by the Spanish club to Wolverhampton, where he spent three seasons.

In the main Portuguese team, Diogo Jota won 49 caps and scored 14 goals, having won two editions of the Nations League, the most recent last month in Munich.

The president of the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP), Reinaldo Teixeira, today paid tribute, on behalf of the organization, to Diogo Jota and André Silva, Portuguese footballers who died on Thursday in a road accident in Spain.

“Two of our talents left us too soon. Even so, we decided to be here today [at the draw] because, more than ever, we felt that we should be together,” said the director, before the draw for the professional competitions of the 2025/26 season, which takes place at the organization’s headquarters, in Porto.

The leader of the LPFP justified the ceremony as a moment of unity for the Portuguese football family, also transforming it into a space for tribute.

“We believe that having the football family gathered here today, in the home of Professional Football, is a moment of inspiration and reflection, in which each of us commits to honoring the values, example and passion that football can and should represent, as the brothers André Silva and Diogo Jota did, with generosity and dedication”, he stated.

The League president highlighted the human impact of the tragedy and reaffirmed the organization's institutional support for those left behind.

“There are no words that can truly describe the pain that is being experienced. Liga Portugal expresses its deepest solidarity to the family, friends and all those who today mourn these irreparable losses,” he declared.

In a speech that combined homage and commitment, Reinaldo Teixeira reinforced the promise that the legacy of the two footballers will be honored continuously.

“I speak with the firmness, respect and promise of support that this moment demands and deserves. The greatest talent in Portuguese football is represented here today, in this audience, with André Silva and Diogo Jota in my thoughts and also in my hearts,” he said.

Even before the draw, the president of the LPFP highlighted the “League Ambassadors” project, an initiative that aims to honor players who have contributed to the history of national football and reinforce the social role of the League, which this year has 22 new members.

“The concept of ambassadors, which the current executive board decided to reinforce, represents the memory of the values ​​of Portuguese football on and off the field,” he said, explaining that the ambassadors will play an active role in educational and charitable causes.

He concluded: “More than just a sporting symbol, the ambassadors will contribute to a more inclusive, conscious and socially-developed football. The new ambassadors will visit local schools, clubs and institutions, promoting the connection between Liga Portugal and its fans.”

Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 25, died in the early hours of Thursday morning in a traffic accident on the A52, in Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain.

The Portuguese international forward played for Liverpool, a club he had represented for five seasons and with which he won an English League, an FA Cup and two League Cups, also becoming champion of the Championship, the English second tier, with Wolverhampton.

After training at Gondomar and Paços de Ferreira, the forward played for FC Porto for a season, on loan from Atlético de Madrid, and was then loaned by the Spanish club to Wolverhampton, where he spent three seasons.

In the main Portuguese team, Diogo Jota won 49 caps and scored 14 goals, having won two editions of the Nations League, the most recent last month in Munich.