Sadio Mane posts emotional tribute to Jota: “Forever in our hearts” | OneFootball

The outpouring of grief from the football world following Diogo Jota’s tragic passing continues, with former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane posting an emotional tribute on Instagram.

Writing in French on Sunday, the Senegalese attacker reflected on the pain of losing a teammate who, in his words, was “taken in the prime of life” — “à la fleur de l’âge.”

Mane’s full message read: “Your passing leaves a void because you left in the prime of life.

“This causes us great pain and dismay — a feeling deeply shared by all of us who worked with you every day for years at Liverpool FC. Forever in our hearts 💔”

Mane joins chorus of tributes as Liverpool family grieves Jota loss

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

The 33-year-old, who played alongside Jota for two seasons before moving to Bayern Munich in 2022, became a close ally on and off the pitch.

His words come just a day after Jota was laid to rest in Gondomar alongside his younger brother Andre Silva.

Liverpool confirmed this week that they will pay the remainder of Jota’s contract to his family, as Record reported.

There has been confusion over whether the club has also pledged to honour his legacy by retiring the No.20 shirt he wore during his time at Anfield, with the wording of a statement being taken in different ways on liverpoolfc.com.

Diogo Jota tributes continue to pour in

(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Fans have continued to gather at the Anfield memorial, with thousands leaving shirts, PlayStation controllers, flowers, and messages for the Portuguese forward.

Ruben Neves and Jordan Henderson were among those in attendance at the funeral, as well as many members of the current squad.

Mane’s tribute, posted on Instagram, captured the sentiment shared by many who played with Jota: heartbreak, disbelief, and enduring respect.

You can view Mane’s Jota post via his Instagram:

🔗 Instagram