Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks for first time on tragic Diogo Jota with emotional tribute

Trent Alexander-Arnold paid tribute to Diogo Jota after helping Real Madrid into the semi-final of the FIFA Club World Cup, declaring: "He will never be forgotten."

The England star, who left boyhood club Liverpool for Real Madrid at the start of June, was unable to attend his former team-mates funeral on Saturday due to the Spanish giants' participation in the United States. Los Blancos beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 to book a final four place against Paris Saint-Germain.

“My condolences, my love, my thoughts and prayers to the family of a close friend of mine,” said Alexander-Arnold, who spent five years playing alongside Jota at Anfield. “It’s been very very difficult for me personally, and also the ones that knew him. Not just team-mates, friends and family, but also the footballing world.

“Some things are bigger than the game. It’s been difficult, but it’s been heartwarming to see the football world unite to show love and support to him and his family, and also his brother. Although it’s been difficult, it’s been a nice showing out from clubs and people uniting and showing love and support for what must be a mind-blowingly hard time for his family.”

Alexander-Arnold continued: “I’ve been in and around him and his brother, his family, his amazing wife, his parents, his amazing three children - it’s truly heartbreaking to wake up to news like that. It’s something you would never expect.

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"He was a very close friend. Someone who lit up a room when he was in it. I shared a dressing room with him for five years. Amazing memories on and off the pitch. It goes without saying he will never be forgotten by anyone.

“He will live long in all our memories for the amazing man and player he was.”

Many members of Liverpool’s squad were united in their griefas they said farewell to their team-mate alongside his family, friends and a host of his international team-mates at his funeral in Gondomar on Saturday.

A service for the 28-year-old father-of-three, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso almost a fortnight ago, and his brother, Andre Silva, was held at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar church in their home town, near Porto, following their deaths in a car crash on Thursday.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson each carried a floral tribute in the shape of a red shirt bearing the respective numbers of the two brothers. Head coach Arne Slot and the majority of the squad were present.

So too was Michael Edwards – the man who signed Jota from Wolves in 2020 when he was sporting director and is now chief executive of football for owners Fenway Sports Group – current sporting director Richard Hughes and head of physiotherapy Lee Nobes and a number of other members of the club’s backroom staff.

Ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, who on Friday laid flowers at the makeshift shrine outside Anfield, James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, who signed in the same transfer window as Jota, Caoimhin Kelleher, Fabinho and former Wolves and Portugal team-mate Joao Moutinho were all also in attendance.

So too were Joao Cancelo and Jota’s ‘best friend’ in football, Ruben Neves, the former Wolves captain whom Jota had known since they were teenagers. The pair had been playing in the Club World Cup in the United States on Friday night - with both breaking down in tears before their quarter-final match against Fluminense as a tribute to Jota and his brother was played on big screens - before flying back to be present at the funeral.