Liverpool have marked the first anniversary of Diogo Jota's death with a permanent memorial outside Anfield. The club unveiled a new statue on Thursday titled Forever 20 on 97 Avenue, and framed the tribute as a lasting part of the ground rather than a one-day gesture.
Forever 20 at Anfield
The memorial is built around a flowing heart sculpture, the numbers 20 and 30, and a PlayStation controller on the plinth. It is a striking piece, and an unmistakably personal one, tied to Jota's identity and to the bond Liverpool have chosen to preserve in public view.
Liverpool said Diogo Jota and André Silva tragically passed away one year ago and described the loss as immeasurable and incalculable pain. The club also said Jota's No.20 shirt number was retired 12 months ago, underlining that the tribute is being treated as a permanent part of the club's memory.
Liverpool's message about his legacy
The clearest line came in Liverpool's own post: "Forever in our hearts, forever our number 20." That is the message running through the memorial, the wording, and the statue itself. The club is not presenting Jota as a figure from the past so much as someone still held close to the place he represented.
Emma Rodgers, who created the memorial, said: "I am so honoured to have created the memorial for Diogo Jota and Andre Silva for Liverpool FC". It is a simple tribute, but a heavy one, and Liverpool have given it a fixed place outside Anfield where supporters can stop, remember and leave their own mark.
The brothers were laid to rest in Gondomar, Portugal, with Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson among the Liverpool figures attending and laying floral tributes. That wider response sits behind the statue now standing on 97 Avenue, where the club's grief has been turned into something visible and permanent.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →