Diogo Jota’s sons to join mascots as Liverpool face Wolves

Liverpool will host Wolves at Anfield in the Boxing Day fixture, kicking off at 10:00 PM (GMT+7). The match carries heavy emotional weight, as it is the first time the two teams have faced each other since Diogo Jota and his younger brother died in a car accident in July. Jota previously played for Wolves between 2018 and 2020 before joining Liverpool, where he remained until 2025.

As a tribute, Liverpool have invited Jota’s sons, Dinis and Duarte, to take part as mascots before kickoff. In August, Jota’s family, including his wife Rute Cardoso and their two children, attended the Premier League opening fixture between Liverpool and Wolves. On that occasion, both sets of supporters paid tribute to the late forward, with similar gestures expected again at Anfield.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot reflected on Jota in his Christmas message: “That ability to be united has been one of our most important qualities throughout a year which has brought us some of our highest highs and our lowest lows. Reflecting on everything that has happened over the last 12 months ignites a rollercoaster of emotions, but it is normal at this time of year to look back on everything that has happened.

“Doing so leads me to think especially of the family of Diogo Jota on what will be their first Christmas without him. It is not my place to tell them where they should look for comfort – if that is even possible – but I can only hope that the feeling of love and affection that Diogo still generates brings them some solace.

“The sense of loss will be particularly strong on Saturday, of course, as it will be the first time that Diogo’s two English teams will meet since his tragic passing. Like us, Wolves were clearly very affected by the loss of such a special player and person, so my thoughts continue to be with them also.”

Diogo Jota began his Premier League career in 2017, joining Wolves on loan from Atlético Madrid before making the move permanent a year later. During his three seasons at Molineux, he scored 16 goals in 47 appearances. In the summer of 2020, he moved to Liverpool for £41 million and quickly became a key player, scoring 47 goals in 123 matches.

On the international stage, Jota earned his first Portugal call-up in 2019. He went on to score 14 goals for the national team and won two UEFA Nations League titles.