Andy Robertson Reveals How Diogo Jota’s Death Affected Liverpool
Former Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has spoken emotionally about how the tragic death of Diogo Jota affected the club’s players during the 2025/26 season.
Jota and his brother, André Silva, died in a car accident in July 2025. The tragedy deeply affected Liverpool, Jota’s family, his teammates and football supporters around the world.
Liverpool entered the campaign as Premier League champions but experienced a difficult season on the pitch. The team eventually finished fifth and suffered 19 defeats across all competitions.
Speaking on the latest episode of Stick to Football, Robertson explained that the emotional impact of Jota’s death made it extremely difficult for the squad to maintain the intensity and determination they had shown in previous seasons.
He also highlighted the difficult situation faced by Liverpool’s new signings, who arrived at the club while the existing squad was still dealing with the loss of one of their closest teammates.
According to Robertson, football became secondary for the players because they were grieving the loss of someone they considered a close friend rather than simply a colleague.
He explained that the squad had lost some of the competitive drive required to perform at their highest level. At certain moments, the players struggled to see the importance of football while thinking about what Jota’s family and children were going through.
Robertson stressed that Jota meant much more to the Liverpool players than simply being a footballer. He was their teammate, friend and an important part of the dressing room.
The former Liverpool left-back also suggested that the circumstances made it particularly challenging for the new players to settle into the team because they were joining a group still dealing with immense grief.
Mohamed Salah had previously spoken about how difficult it was to return to Liverpool’s training centre following Jota’s death, giving an indication of how deeply the tragedy affected the squad.
Despite the emotional difficulties and criticism they faced because of their performances, Liverpool managed to complete the season and secure Champions League qualification.
Robertson’s comments provide further insight into why the team struggled during a campaign that followed such a devastating loss. The players were expected to continue performing professionally while simultaneously processing the death of a close friend.
The experience shows the enormous emotional challenge Liverpool’s squad had to deal with throughout the season.
