Muse Honors Diogo Jota at NOS Alive, Guitarist Wears Liverpool Jersey

Muse paid a touching tribute to Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota while performing at NOS Alive 2025 in in his home country of Portugal on Saturday night.

The rock band – made up of Matt Bellamy, Dominic Howard and Christopher Wolstenholme – took to the stage at the Passeio Maritimo de Alges in Lisbon for the closing night of the three-day festival.

Taking to the main stage at 9.15pm, before headliners Nine Inch Nails, Muse performed their best-loved hits for the jam-packed crowd, but made a subtle nod to Jota – as the festival came just days after his tragic death on July 3.

Guitarist Chris, 46, sported Portugal’s national football strip for the set, and before the encore, turned around to reveal Diogo Jota’s name and number, 21, on the back.

The crowds erupted into rounds of applause as a close-up Jota’s name flashed up on screen in an emotional tribute to the football star following his tragic death.

The tear-jerking moment took place in Jota’s home country of Portugal, some 200 miles down the coast from where he grew up with his brother Andre – who also died in the crash – in Gondomar.

Muse paid a touching tribute to Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota while performing at NOS Alive 2025 in in his home country of Portugal on Saturday night

Guitarist Chris, 46, sported Portugal’s national football strip for the set, and before the encore, turned around to reveal Diogo Jota’s name and number, 21, on the back

The crowds erupted into rounds of applause as a close-up Jota’s name flashed up on screen in an emotional tribute to the football star following his tragic death

It is also just over the border from where Jota and his brother were killed in a fatal car crash in Zamora, northwestern Spain.

It is understood that 28-year-old Jota was driving back from Portugal to Santander in Spain, where he was due to get the ferry back to the UK after he had been told not to fly following surgery.

His Lamborghini Huracan had a tyre blow out while overtaking another vehicle on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora – just ten miles over the border from Portugal.

The £180,000 car is said to have rolled and burst into flames, with emergency services unable to save the footballing duo. No other vehicles were involved, police have said.

The tragedy came just days after Jota married his new wife Rute Cardoso – who he shares three young children with – on June 22.

Jota played 182 games for Liverpool and was part of the Premier League title-winning squad from last season under Arne Slot.

Jota also played for Portugal’s national team while his 26-year-old brother Andre played for Portuguese second division side Penafiel. 

Liverpool have taken the unprecedented step of permanently retiring the Number 20 jersey from each of their club’s teams to honour Diogo Jota’s memory.

The tear-jerking moment took place in Jota’s home country of Portugal, some 200 miles down the coast from where he grew up with his brother Andre – who also died in the crash – in Gondomar

It is also just over the border from where Jota and his brother were killed in a fatal car crash in Zamora, northwestern Spain

Liverpool have taken the unprecedented step of permanently retiring the Number 20 jersey from each of their club’s teams to honour Diogo Jota’s memory

Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, and members of his family visited the floral memorial that has been laid at Anfield

It is the first time in their history they have made such a decision and it is a reflection of the measure in which he was held. 

Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, and members of his family visited the floral memorial that has been laid at Anfield.

They were joined by Liverpool’s squad, who returned to training on Tuesday and who will play for the first time since the tragedy at Preston on Sunday, where a minute’s silence will be observed. 

Both teams will wear black armbands and the Championship club will lay a wreath in front of the away end.