Liverpool Football Club has unveiled a permanent memorial at Anfield in tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, on the eve of the first anniversary of their tragic passing.
The memorial, titled Forever 20, has been installed on 97 Avenue at Anfield Stadium, where thousands of supporters gathered to leave flowers, scarves, shirts, cards, artwork, banners and other tributes in the days following their deaths.
Created by renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers, the memorial has been designed to celebrate the lives of both brothers, their close bond and the love felt for them by family, teammates and supporters across the world.
At the centre of the piece is a flowing heart sculpture, inspired by Diogo’s iconic goal celebration. When viewed from different angles, the sculpture also reveals the numbers 20 and 30, which appeared on the backs of the brothers’ playing shirts.
The memorial also incorporates the lyrics of the song made famous by Liverpool supporters in honour of Jota, with each letter hand-carved into the flowing lines of the sculpture. Its shape has been designed to reflect the movement, energy and grace of the player himself.
Several of the physical tributes left by fans have also been carefully preserved within the memorial. Sections of scarves and shirts have been set in wax and embedded into the structure and surface of the sculpture, while further items have been incorporated into the Granby rock-faced stone plinth.
The plinth, which features a laser-engraved dedication to both brothers, also includes Portuguese stone from Gondomar, their homeplace.
A single flower left in tribute has been cast in bronze, ensuring the fragile gesture of remembrance now has a lasting place within the memorial.
A PlayStation controller also sits on the plinth, symbolising Jota’s love of gaming and his famous celebration pose, capturing a sense of play, friendship and life paused in time.
The final touches of patina introduce soft colours inspired by Jota’s home flag and the clubs he represented throughout his career.
Liverpool FC said Forever 20 will stand as a permanent symbol of love, unity and remembrance, offering supporters and visitors a place to reflect, remember and pay their respects.
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