Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj delivered a touching tribute to late Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota during the third Test against England at Lord’s. After dismissing Jamie Smith in England’s first innings, Siraj gestured with his fingers to display the number “20”—Jota’s jersey number at Liverpool—and looked towards the sky in an emotional gesture.
Siraj ended the innings with bowling figures of 2/85 in 23.3 overs. His tribute went viral after it was shared on Star Sports’ official X (formerly Twitter) handle. England, meanwhile, posted 387 runs in their first innings. The score was built on a 109-run third-wicket partnership between Joe Root, who scored 104 off 199 balls.
Ollie Pope, who contributed 44 runs. A late eighth-wicket flourish from Jamie Smith (51) and Brydon Carse (56) added crucial runs. Jasprit Bumrah impressed again with a five-wicket haul, taking 5/74, while Nitish Kumar Reddy also picked up two wickets.
Jota’s Sudden Death Shocks Sports Community
Diogo Jota passed away in a car crash in Spain on July 3, 2025, at just 28 years of age. According to reports from Sky Sports, he was in the vehicle with his brother at the time of the accident. The football world was left stunned and in mourning.
𝐍𝐨 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐒𝐏 😉#JamieSmith survived once, but no escape this time from #MohammedSiraj! 👀
Will #TeamIndia bundle England out under 400? 🤔#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST, DAY 2 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 https://t.co/mg732JcWfD pic.twitter.com/I1uG35YFZC
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 11, 2025
Jota had established himself as a key player for both Liverpool and the Portugal national team. His sudden death left fans and fellow athletes heartbroken, which led to emotional tributes from all over the world, including from Siraj, who is known to be an avid Liverpool supporter.
Jota’s Journey in Football
Jota began his football journey at Pacos de Ferreira in his hometown Porto, Portugal. In 2016, he moved to Atletico Madrid but never made a first-team appearance for the club. He later returned to Portugal on loan. His major breakthrough came in 2018 when he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) in the Premier League under manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Two years later, in 2020, Jota signed with Liverpool. With the Reds, he won the Premier League title in the 2024–25 season and played in the 2021–22 Champions League final against Real Madrid. Internationally, Jota made his debut for Portugal in 2019, represented them in Euro 2022 and 2024, and was a part of the squad that won the UEFA Nations League in May 2025, defeating Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout.
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