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A mural dedicated to Diogo Jota has been completed at Anfield ahead of the new season.
Liverpool and the soccer world continue to mourn the untimely and tragic passing of Jota and his brother Andre Silva last month. On Monday, during the Reds’ first game back at Anfield since the devastating news, play was stopped in the 20th minute of both friendlies against Athletic Bilbao, with fans and players applauding in memory of Liverpool’s permanent no.20.
Phil Thompson and Jon Uriarte, Bilbao’s club president, laid wreaths at the Kop End in tribute to Jota before the game, while the matchday program was also dedicated to the former striker.
Supporters have also played their part in honoring Jota and Silva in recent weeks. Murals have sprung up at the Halfway House pub near Anfield, and on Lyon Road in Liverpool.
Fan channel Redmen TV also arranged for a wall to be made available for supporters to write messages to the late Portuguese, and a fresh painting of Jota has now been added above the signatures on the house in Sybil Road, which stands in the shadow of Anfield.
Artist MurWalls added golden Premier League winners’ badges to Jota's shirt in the mural, denoting his contribution in helping Liverpool finish first last season.
“It was a real shame that he didn't get to wear the gold Premiership badge because that's what he would've been wearing this season being a Premier League champion," the artist told BBC News.
"So we thought it would be really nice touch to add that.”
Fans have been given the opportunity to continue signing the wall, and a cherry picker has been hired to lift supporters to the higher sections of the painting.
Such was the demand for fans to pay their respects, a queue quickly formed at the base of the mural.
Jota and Silva passed away on July 3 in a road incident in northern Spain. They had been en route back to England for the start of Liverpool’s pre-season training.
The club has decided to permanently retire the no.20 jersey, and a sculpture in honor of Jota will be commissioned outside Anfield.
The brothers’ former club, Gondomar, announced last week that an imprint of the siblings will be used on all three kits this season, while Brighton & Hove Albion’s James Milner has switched to the no.20 to pay tribute to his former teammate.
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