Oasis honoured the memory of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota during their first reunion concert in 16 years at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium last night.
The Mancunian band displayed a towering image of the Portuguese forward on the venue’s screens whilst performing their classic hit Live Forever.
The 75,000-strong crowd witnessed the poignant tribute, with one fan raising a Portugal flag in recognition of the 28-year-old who earned 49 caps for his country.
The emotional moment marked one of the most unexpected highlights of the band’s long-awaited comeback show, as brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher added their voices to the global outpouring of grief.
Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva died in a car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning when their Lamborghini left a road in Zamora following a tyre blowout before catching fire.
The tragic accident occurred just 11 days after the footballer married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso. The couple shared three children together.
The 28-year-old had been instrumental in Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning campaign last season, contributing nine goals and assists.
The Portuguese international’s death at such a young age has sent shockwaves through the football community, with tributes pouring in from teammates, rivals and fans alike.
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The tribute coincided with a vigil held at the Chapel of Resurrection in Gondomar on the outskirts of Porto, Jota’s hometown.
Earlier in the evening, Liverpool band Cast had also paid homage to the father-of-three.
Cast frontman John Power dedicated their song Walkaway to Jota’s memory, telling the crowd: “Dedicated to Diogo Jota. Take it easy brother.”
The Liverpudlian group were performing as the opening act for Oasis’s first concert in 16 years.
The dual tributes from both bands highlighted the profound impact Jota had made during his time at Liverpool, where he became a fan favourite.
Liverpool have postponed their pre-season training camp following the tragedy.
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was seen paying his respects at a memorial outside Anfield Stadium yesterday.
Mohamed Salah, who played alongside Jota for several years, wrote: “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.
“Team mates 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.”
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said the “sense of shock is absolute… He was a loved one to all of us.”
Oasis kicked off their world tour with the Cardiff concert, marking the start of a global run that will conclude on November 23 at Estádio do Morumbi in São Paulo, Brazil.
Support acts for the tour include Cast, Richard Ashcroft, Cage the Elephant, and Ball Park Music.
