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ITV commentator Joe Speight displayed a touch of class as he delivered a poignant homage to Diogo Jota during the latter stages of Liverpool's pre-season victory over Preston North End on Sunday.
The match carried a weight of emotion for the Reds, marking their first game since Jota's untimely death 10 days prior. The 28-year-old, along with his brother Andre Silva, lost their lives in a car crash on the A-52 in Zamora, Spain.
Liverpool supporters filled the stadium with Jota's chant for much of the encounter, continuing well after the final whistle: "He's a lad from Portugal, better than Figo, don't you know? Oh, his name is Diogo!"
In the added time of the match, as fans belted out Jota's anthem, commentary from Speight, accompanied by pundit Stephen Warnock, honored the moment fittingly.
Speight offered a respectful silence from the 91st to the 92nd minute, allowing the chant for Jota to resonate without disturbance, as the Liverpool faithful commemorated a figure cherished as one of their own.
While Speight returned to commentating towards the end for a late opportunity, aside from that necessity, he duly observed silence for about a minute to respectfully acknowledge the sentiment.
These moments were among many heartfelt homages paid in memory of Jota, who netted 65 goals across 182 outings for Liverpool. Stirring renditions of 'Can't Help Falling In Love' alongside 'You'll Never Walk Alone' were performed by Claudia Rose Maguire – the wife of ex-Preston player Sean – ahead of kick-off, evoking a strong emotional response from those present.
An emotional Preston captain Ben Whiteman paid tribute to Jota as he carried a wreath across the Deepdale pitch to lay before the Liverpool supporters, receiving a resounding round of applause. This was followed by a minute's silence from both teams.
On the field, Liverpool secured a 3-1 victory. Conor Bradley, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo found the back of the net for the visitors, while Liam Lindsay responded for the hosts.
Arne Slot’s team will begin their Premier League season on Friday, August 15 against Bournemouth, an occasion likely to feature further homages to Jota.
Slot voiced the deep effect Jota’s untimely passing has had ahead of Liverpool’s game at Preston. "First of all, it had a lot of impact on us but nothing compared to the loss that is felt by his parents, his wife Rute and his children and his other family. The first feeling we all have is of sadness," he remarked.
"The second feeling that comes to my mind is pride. I think his parents and Rute can be so proud of the player and the person he was – mainly the person. I've spoken to many of his teammates, I've spoken to many staff members, and they all rate him so high and all say how nice of a person he was. That he was always himself.
"So they should and will be very proud if they could hear what all his teammates and all the staff members would say about him.
"Second of all, I think our fans can be so proud about the players we have at this club. They've seen them winning the league, that was a great achievement, but what they did in the last week with the togetherness they had, how they conducted themselves when we were in Portugal together, the fans couldn't have asked for more from our players when it comes to how great human beings they are.
"Those are the two emotions. Of course, the first emotion of sadness is much stronger than the one of being proud. But it's the both of them."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.
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