Liverpool’s faltering season has taken a backseat to the profound grief still gripping the club following the tragic death of forward Diogo Jota. Former goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, whose departure from Anfield to Brentford last June marked the end of a decade-long tenure with the Reds, recently spoke to The Independent about the deep emotional toll the tragedy has had on his former teammates. His reflections underscore the human side of football that often gets overshadowed by headlines.
Kelleher, in an interview reported by BBC Sport, opened up about how Jota’s untimely death has reshaped priorities for the players. “Obviously, football is a massive sport, and people have an opinion, which is natural. People expect you to move on quite quickly, and I don’t think that’s the case,” Kelleher said. He emphasized that, for the team, this season’s results feel secondary to the overwhelming grief they are experiencing. “I find it a bit strange and a bit difficult when I hear people speaking about the players at Liverpool and the performances, because I don’t think this season is even important from a football aspect for them.”
Jota, the 28-year-old Portuguese forward, tragically lost his life in a car crash on July 3, 2025, near Zamora, northwestern Spain. He was traveling with his brother, André Silva, when their Lamborghini suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle on the A-52 highway. The car veered off the road and caught fire. Spanish authorities have suggested that excessive speed played a role, although the tyre failure was cited as a key factor in the tragedy. The siblings were on their way to a ferry bound for Britain when the accident occurred during the early hours of the morning.
The tragic event was particularly poignant for Liverpool, occurring just months after they secured the Premier League title in the 2024-25 season, their second in six years. Jota had been pivotal in that triumph, with his clinical finishing and versatility contributing greatly to the squad’s success. Over five seasons at Anfield, Jota had scored 65 goals in 182 appearances, with 47 of those in 123 Premier League matches. His key contributions included crucial goals in the 2022 FA Cup and League Cup finals, where Liverpool secured a domestic double, and he also played a significant role in the club’s Champions League campaigns.
Before his time at Liverpool, Jota’s career began at FC Paços de Ferreira in Portugal, followed by loan spells at FC Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers. His permanent move to Wolves in 2018 saw him score 44 goals in 131 appearances, helping the club secure promotion to the Premier League in the 2017-18 season. Jota earned 36 caps for Portugal, scoring 12 goals, and represented his country in major tournaments such as the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.
The timing of Jota’s death was especially tragic for Liverpool’s campaign. The team currently sits in sixth place in the Premier League after 24 matches, with 11 wins, six draws, and seven losses, accumulating 39 points—14 behind league leaders Arsenal. The season has been marked by inconsistency, including a winless streak that has drawn sharp criticism from pundits. Yet, Kelleher’s words serve as a reminder of the emotional weight that has affected the squad. “I stay in touch with some of the guys there, and I have a lot of good friends there. It’s a very difficult time for them, a difficult season, with circumstances that people probably aren’t taking into account too much,” he reflected. Kelleher added that, while distancing himself from Anfield has made it easier for him personally to cope, the ongoing mourning for Jota remains a heavy burden for his former teammates.
Kelleher’s sentiments resonate with earlier statements from within the club. In November 2025, manager Arne Slot addressed the emotional void left by Jota. “We miss the player and the person, that is completely clear,” Slot said, while also emphasizing that the tragedy would not serve as an excuse for the team’s performance dip. Liverpool defender Andrew Robertson, speaking after Scotland’s 4-2 victory over Denmark that secured World Cup qualification, broke down during a post-match interview, dedicating the achievement to Jota. “I couldn’t get my mate out of my head today,” Robertson said, admitting he had been “in bits” in the lead-up to the match.
These heartfelt reflections come amid broader calls for more sensitivity in football discourse. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk recently urged pundits to exercise “a duty of responsibility” when critiquing players, aligning with Kelleher’s concerns about overlooking the personal struggles faced by the team during this difficult period.
Liverpool, a club with a history of overcoming adversity, has endured several tragedies that have shaped its identity and fostered a resilient sense of community. In 1985, the Heysel Stadium disaster saw 39 people, mostly Italian fans, lose their lives during a violent clash between fans, leading to a six-year ban for Liverpool and all English clubs from European competitions. The Hillsborough disaster in 1989, in which 97 Liverpool fans were killed due to a crowd crush during an FA Cup semi-final, remains one of the darkest moments in British football history. These events, while tragic, have cemented a club ethos of solidarity, with the club’s anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” symbolizing this spirit of resilience.
The tragic loss of Jota adds to the long list of challenges Liverpool has faced, but as history shows, the club has repeatedly channeled adversity into unity, honoring the fallen while pressing on.
Kelleher, who made 67 appearances for Liverpool and progressed through the club’s academy since 2015, insisted his move to Brentford was driven by the desire for first-team football, independent of the tragedy. “From an individual aspect, for me to leave and play first-team football was obviously right, never mind the tragedy that happened,” he said. His words serve as a reminder that behind the statistics and standings lie lives profoundly altered by personal loss.
