Liverpool to Retire No. 20 shirt as Diogo Jota Tribute after his tragic Death

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Liverpool Football Club has decided to retire the No. 20 jersey in honor of Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain on July 3, 2025, alongside his brother André Silva.

This marks the first time in the club's 133-year history that a shirt number has been retired, reflecting Jota's profound impact both on and off the pitch.

The 28-year-old passed away while coming back to catch a ferry at Spain's Santander as he was supposed to travel to England to join the Reds for the pre-season. Jota's car reportedly crashed due to a tire burst while overtaking a car.

Jota, who joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 for £41 million, wore the No. 20 during his five seasons with the club, making 182 appearances and scoring 65 goals. His contributions helped Liverpool secure the Premier League title in 2024-25, their 20th, as well as an FA Cup and two EFL Cups.

The decision to retire the number was spurred by widespread calls from fans on social media, who noted the symbolic connection between Jota's No. 20, his 2020 arrival, and the club's 20th league title.

The club stated that the No. 20 will be "rightly immortalised" for Jota's contributions, particularly his memorable final goal in the Merseyside derby in April 2025. Tributes from teammates, including Virgil van Dijk, who called him "a champion forever, number 20 forever," and manager Arne Slot, underscored Jota's legacy as a beloved figure.

"The No.20 will be rightly immortalised for his contributions as part of Liverpool's 2024-25 title-winners - the club's 20th - with his trademark shimmy and strike in front of the Kop to seal victory in April's Merseyside derby a poignant last goal of his life," a statement from Liverpool wrote.