Trent Alexander-Arnold Reflects on Diogo Jota's Legacy at Anfield
Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed how a return to Anfield after his move to Real Madrid helped him finally process the death of former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota.
Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in Spain in July 2025. Alexander-Arnold was thousands of miles away at the time, in the United States with Real Madrid for the Club World Cup, and the distance, he says, made the grief even heavier.
"I think that's what was difficult… going through it on your own," he told the Sunday Mirror. "Everybody else who had known him for that amount of time were all grouped together."
While Liverpool mourned together on Merseyside, Alexander-Arnold had to keep playing, keep training, keep moving. The schedule didn’t stop. The games kept coming.
"It was difficult, and then having to continue to play games and them being so far away was hard," he said.
The closure he craved only came when he stepped back into the place where their bond had been forged. Returning to Anfield after his transfer to Real Madrid, he went to the stadium, laid flowers, and allowed himself a moment that football rarely grants.
"Coming back to Anfield and being able to go to the stadium and put some flowers down really helped me get that closure."
Alexander-Arnold and Jota shared five seasons together at Liverpool before the England right-back made his move to Spain in 2025. Their relationship went well beyond the pitch. He described how the pair spoke "every day" and how their competitive edge drove them during their rehab sessions.
"I was injured a couple of times when he was and we were doing our training to get back fit together, and we were both very competitive," he recalled. "We would always, you know, have different competitions between ourselves. Those are the kind of memories that I’ll hold close to me."
The memories are not just of a goalscorer or a teammate, but of the person behind the shirt.
"He was just a really good guy. Like he was very honest. That’s one of the best attributes that anybody can have. He was hardworking. He loved what he did, and was a massive family man."
Liverpool have made sure Jota’s legacy will not fade. On the eve of the first anniversary of his and his brother’s death, the club unveiled a permanent memorial at Anfield.
The sculpture, titled Forever 20, was created by renowned artist Emma Rodgers. At its centre is a flowing heart, a nod to Jota’s trademark goal celebration and a visual reminder of the emotion he brought to the club.
"'Forever 20' will serve as a permanent symbol of love, unity and remembrance, and a place where everyone can reflect, remember and pay their respects," read a Liverpool statement.
For Alexander-Arnold, the move to Real Madrid has taken him into a new chapter. But the walk back through the Anfield gates, the flowers, and the memorial ensured one story with Jota reached the only ending it could: not with a final whistle, but with a lasting tribute.
