Real Madrid Wrong Photo, Tribute to Jota Turns Controversial
Source: Instagram@andresilva9
Real Madrid is in the spotlight again, this time not for on-field action but for a tribute video error. During the club's annual general meeting, Los Blancos played a tribute video honoring the late Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva. However, a critical mistake occurred: the photo shown wasn't Andre Silva (the brother), but Andre da Silva, a Portuguese striker from Elche.
The error immediately drew public attention. Diogo Jota, Liverpool and Portugal national team star, died in a car accident last July at age 28. In the same tragedy, his 25-year-old brother Andre Silva, a player for Portuguese second-division club Penafiel, also passed away.
Taking responsibility, Real Madrid issued an official statement on X. They apologized to Elche and their player Andre da Silva for the error.
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"Real Madrid CF apologizes to Elche CF and its player Andre da Silva for mistakenly including his image in the institutional video obituary, instead of the image of Andre Silva, brother of Liverpool player Diogo Jota," the statement read.
"We regret this incident."
Andre da Silva himself is no stranger to Portuguese football. The 30-year-old striker has made 53 appearances for Portugal's national team and played for top clubs like Porto, AC Milan, Eintracht Frankfurt, and RB Leipzig. Last weekend, he helped Elche secure a 2-2 draw against Real Madrid in La Liga.
Real Madrid previously paid tribute to Jota during their Champions League visit to Anfield. Club representatives including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and coach Xabi Alonso laid wreaths in Jota's memory before Liverpool fans.
A heartfelt card from Alexander-Arnold heightened the emotional moment. The English right-back wrote a poignant message to his friend:
"My friend Diogo, you are deeply missed but forever loved. Your memory and Andre's will always live on. I smile every time I think of you and will cherish the wonderful times we shared. Missing you brother, every single day. Love Trent and family."
While the video incident remains a dark mark, heartfelt tributes from Jota's close colleagues highlight the profound legacy he left in football.
The tragedy that took Jota and his brother still causes pain, yet reminds the world that player bonds transcend teammates—they become family beyond the pitch.
