Chelsea’s players have chosen to donate part of their FIFA Club World Cup bonuses to the family of the late Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, in a heartfelt gesture following the brothers’ tragic deaths last month.
On 13 July, Chelsea stunned reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain with a 3-0 victory in the final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, securing their first new Club World Cup title. The win earned the Premier League side an estimated £85 million in total competition revenue, including a $15.5m (£11.4m) player bonus pool.
According to The Athletic, discussions between the squad and the club resulted in an agreement to make an equal payment to Jota’s family from the bonus fund. The total donation is believed to be around $500,000 (£368,000).
Diogo Jota and his brother died in a car crash in Cernadilla, Spain, less than two weeks before the final.
His close friend and former Wolverhampton Wanderers teammate Pedro Neto, now at Chelsea, paid tribute by wearing a shirt bearing both brothers’ names during the quarter-final against Palmeiras.
Fighting back tears, Neto also posted an emotional message on Instagram describing Jota as “a great man, husband, father, and friend… we will never forget you.”
Liverpool’s Own Tribute
Liverpool, where Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances, have announced they will retire the No. 20 shirt across all levels of the club and erect a memorial sculpture at Anfield.
A minute’s silence will be held before Friday’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth, with players wearing a Forever 20 emblem on shirts and jackets throughout the season.
The gestures from both clubs underline Jota’s impact on teammates, fans, and the wider football community, ensuring his legacy will be remembered for generations.