Luis Diaz is currently under significant scrutiny after the Liverpool winger failed to attend Diogo Jota’s funeral over the weekend.
Jota, aged 28, sadly passed away last week along with his brother, Andre Silva, who was 26, in a tragic road traffic accident in Zamora, Spain.
Diaz is among the numerous individuals who have expressed heartfelt tributes online following the loss of his teammate.
The two forwards for the Reds, whose final act together was lifting the club’s record-equalling 20th English league title at Anfield merely two months ago, shared a strong connection.
The father of the Colombian international also honored Jota, who had celebrated a goal by displaying a shirt bearing Luis Diaz’s name, in a show of solidarity with the Colombian after his father was abducted by the guerrilla group ELN in 2023.
Nonetheless, Diaz’s presence at a sporting event in Barranquilla – the “Copa Creadores de Contenido,” a friendly football tournament showcasing digital influencers from throughout Latin America – has generated controversy, according to reports from beIN Sports and Marca.
At the same time, notable figures such as current and former Liverpool captains Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson were in Portugal to pay tribute to Jota’s life at the same location where the Nations League champion had wed his childhood sweetheart merely two weeks earlier.
The memorial service for Jota and his sibling Andre Silva was held on Saturday in Gondomar, Portugal, attended by the majority of the Liverpool team and various prominent figures from Portuguese football.
Notable absentees included Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Luis Diaz himself.
The considerable distance from South America was mentioned as a potential reason for the absence of Diaz and Alisson.
Despite this, social media was inundated with expressions of disappointment aimed at the winger, who was instead observed socializing with fans and influencers at an event supporting his brother (see one of the incidents below).
In response to the perceived lack of compassion displayed by Diaz, Colombian ESPN presenter Andres La Couture commented on X: