Trent Alexander-Arnold Reflects on Closure After Diogo Jota's Tragic Death

Trent Alexander-Arnold has revealed how a return to Anfield after his move to Real Madrid gave him the sense of closure he needed following the death of former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota.

Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed in a car crash in Spain in July 2025. Alexander-Arnold was thousands of miles away at the time, in the United States with Real Madrid for the Club World Cup, and the distance cut deep.

"I think that's what was difficult… going through it on your own," he told the Sunday Mirror. "Everybody else who had known him for that amount of time were all grouped together."

While Liverpool mourned as a club and a city, Alexander-Arnold had to keep playing. Training sessions, matches, media duties – all while grieving in isolation.

"It was difficult, and then having to continue to play games and them being so far away was hard," he said.

The healing started when he finally walked back through the doors at Anfield. No fanfare, no grand gesture. Just a quiet moment in a familiar place.

"But coming back to Anfield and being able to go to the stadium and put some flowers down really helped me get that closure," he explained.

Alexander-Arnold and Jota shared five seasons together at Liverpool before the England right-back completed his move to Real Madrid in 2025. Their relationship stretched well beyond the pitch.

He said the pair spoke "every day" and lit up when recalling their competitive edge, especially during their injury rehabs.

"I was injured a couple of times when he was and we were doing our training to get back fit together, and we were both very competitive," Alexander-Arnold said. "We would always, you know, have different competitions between ourselves. Those are the kind of memories that I’ll hold close to me."

Then came the simple, heartfelt character sketch of a teammate turned close friend.

"He was just a really good guy. Like he was very honest. That’s one of the best attributes that anybody can have. He was hardworking. He loved what he did, and was a massive family man."

Liverpool have made sure Jota’s memory will not fade. On the eve of the first anniversary of the crash, the club installed a permanent memorial at Anfield to Jota and his brother.

The sculpture, titled Forever 20 in reference to Jota’s shirt number, was created by renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers. At its centre sits a flowing heart, a nod to the forward’s trademark goal celebration that became a familiar sight on the Kop.

“‘Forever 20’ will serve as a permanent symbol of love, unity and remembrance, and a place where everyone can reflect, remember and pay their respects,” the club said in a statement.

For Alexander-Arnold, that place is no longer just a memorial. It is where the noise, the grief and the distance finally made sense – and where a chapter with a lost friend found its end.