'The game has lost a legend': Liverpool fans in Singapore mourn Diogo Jota

It was a regular work afternoon for Eddy Chua on July 3 when the Singaporean received a Telegram notification that read "Diogo Jota died".

Stunned, he turned to Google to check if it was true and saw early reports from several outlets claiming the Liverpool footballer had passed away.

Soon after, chatter picked up in a WhatsApp group comprising fellow Liverpool fans, and reports from more established sources - Liverpool Echo, Sky News and the BBC - confirmed the worst: the Portuguese forward and his brother Andre Silva, also a professional footballer, had died in a car crash in Zamora, Spain.

The authorities said Jota, 28, and Silva, 25, died after the Lamborghini they were in had veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight on July 3.

Chua, 29, found it difficult to return to work after reading the news. The content lead said: "Throughout the late afternoon, I was just stoning in front of my screen, trying to take in the fact that one of our own just left like that.

"Some of the fans posted Jota's wedding photos to the chat too, which made me even more emotional. He had just won the Premier League, gotten married and Liverpool had also been making ambitious signings this summer.

"It was supposed to be like a start of something new for Jota, in his career and family. But he is just gone like that."

Like Chua, many Singaporean Reds fans were still coming to terms with the news hours after it broke.

Real estate agent Eric Kwek recalled how a month ago, he was in Liverpool among hundreds of thousands of fans, as Jota and the rest of the squad marked the club's 20th top-flight league title with an open-top bus parade through the city.

Earlier this week, he had come across clips of fans singing Jota's chant, which he noted was voted one of the most popular among Liverpool supporters.

The 47-year-old also expressed his sympathy for Jota's family. Jota and long-time partner Rute Cardoso, who have three children, had just tied the knot less than two weeks ago.

One fond memory Kwek has of Jota is his last goal for Liverpool - the winner in a 1-0 Merseyside derby victory over rivals Everton in April.

It was a crucial victory in the Reds' title charge as they returned from the international break, bouncing back from their Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain and a League Cup final loss to Newcastle United.

Kwek said: "To lose two games in a week this season was not common for Liverpool so it was quite tough for them to pick up again, especially since they had not secured the title.

"He gave confidence back to the team to pursue the last trophy."

Despite injury setbacks last season, Jota played a key role in the Reds' Premier League title win, making 26 league appearances and contributing six goals and four assists. In all, he recorded 65 goals and 26 assists in 182 Reds matches.

Suren Daniel, who is self-employed as a hawker, remembers Jota for his work ethic and humility.

The 38-year-old said: "A true fans' player. Every time he was on the bench, or back from injury, and when he was called upon to perform, he was a player who never let us down and would always give his all without complaining."

Student Megan Foo, 22, shared the same sentiment, saying: "What stood out most was how he never seemed to disappoint on the pitch... He had this quiet determination and came across as a genuinely humble and grounded guy. I'll always remember him as a clutch, consistent and committed player."

While many praised his abilities on the pitch, what left a lasting impression on Kwang Yu, who runs online sports platform Grandstand alongside his day job in marketing, was Jota's personality.

When Liverpool visited Singapore as part of their pre-season tour in 2023, the 32-year-old recalled that Jota took the time to answer questions in the media mixed zone.

He said: "He was one of the players who stopped for a post-match interview by one of our media colleagues. It was very chill, nice chat, (he was) down-to-earth and very humble.

"One of the questions that was asked to him is which fantasy player would he pick for the new season, and cheekily he mentioned himself.

"Very, very nice guy, I would say. Not every player would stop for an interview, so kudos to him."

Benjamin Raj, 32, a senior executive at a statutory board, said the news was a sobering reminder of life's fragility.

He said: "The game has lost a true legend. It just shows you need to enjoy life whenever you can, because you just don't know what's going to happen next."

Fellow Liverpool fan Melvin Wong, who is self-employed, recalled Jota's standout performances against Arsenal - a team he often thrived against.

Jota scored on his Premier League debut for the Reds in a 3-1 win over the Gunners in September 2020, and later netted a brace in a 2-0 League Cup semi-final victory during the 2021-22 season, helping Liverpool reach the final, which they eventually won.

The 49-year-old said: "He was a clinical striker, an outstanding header of the ball. I think I can say on behalf of every Liverpool fan that we will miss him and never forget him."