Diogo Jota’s tragic death has left the sports world in shock, and in a rare move, Wimbledon has broken its 148-year tradition of an all-white dress code to pay tribute to the late football star.
A Fatal Accident
In the early hours of Thursday, July 3, a fatal road accident in Spain claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva as they attempted to catch a ferry to England.
Wimbledon’s Exception
The Wimbledon Championships has made a special exception for this year’s tennis players, allowing them to wear black armbands if they wish to pay their respects to Jota and his brother, breaking the long-standing all-white dress code rule.
Paying Tribute
Jota’s fellow countryman, Francisco Cabral, who won his doubles match with Lucas Miedler, expressed his condolences, saying, “I have seen the very sad news, the guy is a big name, not just in Portugal but in the world, he was a great human being with a nice family and three kids.”
Support for the Family
Cabral continued, “My best wishes to them all, for his family, it is very tough to recover from that,” highlighting the difficulty Jota’s family faces in coping with the loss.
Emotional Statement from Mohamed Salah
Jota’s Liverpool teammate, Mohamed Salah, penned an emotional statement on X, saying, “I am truly lost for words, until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break.”
A Tribute to Jota
Salah’s statement continued, “Teammates come and go but not like this, it’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there when we go back, my thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children.”
Remembering Jota and His Brother
Salah emphasized the need for support for those close to Jota and his brother, saying, “Those close to Diogo and his brother Andre need all the support they can get, they will never be forgotten.”
A Recent Wedding and a New Beginning
Just last week, Jota tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, making his tragic death even more devastating for his newlywed wife and their loved ones.
A Change in Tradition
The decision by Wimbledon to allow players to wear black armbands marks a significant departure from its traditional all-white dress code, showing the impact of Jota’s death on the sports community.
Condolences from the Tennis World
Francisco Cabral, who was unable to get a black armband for his latest match, plans to wear one in his next game as a tribute to Jota, demonstrating the solidarity of the tennis world with the football community in mourning.