Diogo Jota mural ‘absolutely class’, say Liverpool FC fans

Fans have described a mural to Liverpool forward Diogo Jota near Anfield stadium as “absolutely class” after his death in a car crash.

The words ‘Forever 20’, a reference to the Portuguese national’s squad number, were painted onto a gable-end wall on Sybil Road near the stadium in white lettering against a black background on Tuesday 8 July.

The piece, by street art collective Murwalls, has since taken on a life of its own as fans added their own messages of remembrance.

They included Grace Merritt, who worked with Jota personally through her work in media, and said: “Every time I go the match now, I can see that my name’s up there.”

The 22-year-old said she went to the stadium three times since news of Jota’s death broke to lay flowers, but thought the mural was a fitting tribute.

She said: “I think this is absolutely class from [Murwalls].

“I think the messages that we leave in comments online saying our regards to Jota and his brother, to writing on a wall, to remembering what he did for us, it’s just so great.”

“He’s so humble, he’s so respectable and not just on the pitch,” Ms Merritt said.

“I think what was so amazing, we saw them tributes from the players that did talk about his talent but also the person he was.”

Kevin Gates, known online as the Kop Artist, also signed the wall and told BBC Radio Merseyside: “Every player means so much to Liverpool fans.”

He described Jota as a “phenomenal player” and said he would be “very much missed”.

The Forever 20 piece on Sybil Street appears unlikely to be the only large mural in Jota’s memory.

Street artist Paul Curtis, whose works are well known in Liverpool, has launched a crowdfunding page for an artwork of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who also died in the crash in Spain last week.

Mr Curtis said the idea came after fans tagged him and other artists in posts on social media asking why no murals for Jota had been commissioned yet.

At the time of writing, the fundraiser has raised more than £25,000.

Mr Curtis said the donations had not only come from Reds supporters.

He told BBC Radio Merseyside: “Obviously, a lot of Liverpool fans have donated, but we’ve had Everton fans, Man United fans as well, which shows the reach of the guy and how well he’s respected.

“I’ve been getting donations from Japan, America. So, yeah, it’s a measure of the guy, I think. He touched people beyond football, it seems.”