Why Mohamed Salah Broke Down in Tears After Liverpool Beat Bournemouth
- Mohamed Salah fought back tears after Liverpool overcame the resilience of Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday night
- The Reds opened their Premier League campaign with a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth, though the occasion was overshadowed by a racism incident
- Arne Slot's side raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from £79 million summer signing Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Mohamed Salah was reduced to tears after Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on Friday at an emotionally charged Anfield.
The Egyptian forward sealed the win in stoppage time and paid tribute to his late teammate by replicating Diogo Jota’s signature ‘crocodile’ celebration.
Source: Twitter
Hugo Ekitike, Cody Gakpo, and Federico Chiesa also found the net, each marking their goals by gesturing the number 20, Jota’s former shirt number, now retired in his honour.
Liverpool’s Premier League opener became a night of remembrance for Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who both tragically passed away in July.
Fans delivered a stirring rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, waved flags bearing Jota’s image, and joined the players in a centre-circle huddle.
A perfectly observed silence was held as the Kop displayed a striking green, red, and white mosaic reading “DJ20,” with supporters later singing Jota’s name long after the final whistle.
Liverpool Mourn Jota After Tragic Car Crash
On July 3, Portuguese brothers Jota and his sibling lost their lives at ages 28 and 25 in a car accident during the early hours in northern Spain.
In a touching tribute, a banner was displayed on the Kop reading: “Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda – Anfield will always be your home, You’ll Never Walk Alone” as a message of solidarity to Jota’s family.
The Liverpool forward had married his childhood sweetheart just 11 days before the tragedy, capping a season in which he celebrated major honours for both club and country. Jota played a key role in Liverpool’s 20th top-flight title win and was part of the Portugal side that lifted the Nations League trophy in June.
Anfield Pays Tribute to Jota in Emotional Season Opener
On Friday, Liverpool and Bournemouth observed a minute’s silence before kick-off, with both teams wearing black armbands in memory of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre. A special fan mosaic of Jota filled the stands, while images of the brothers were displayed on the stadium screens. Liverpool players also wore shirts featuring the “Forever 20” emblem — a season-long tribute to the late forward.
Reds manager Arne Slot paid a heartfelt tribute to Jota’s family in his matchday programme notes, writing:
“We know that this will be a very emotional occasion, given it is the first league game we have played since we lost Diogo and Andre.”
Liverpool Honour Jota with Shirt Retirement
After an illustrious five-season spell at Anfield, Diogo Jota’s No. 20 shirt has been officially retired across all levels of Liverpool Football Club.
The late forward will also be immortalised with a permanent sculpture outside the stadium, crafted from tributes left by supporters. Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards, said:
“As a club, we were all acutely aware of the sentiment of our supporters – and we felt exactly the same way.”
Source: YEN.com.gh
