The final goodbye before the tragedy

The shock over the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva continues to shake the football world. While tributes pour in across social media, unfounded rumors have also emerged about their final hours. Now, Miguel Gonçalves, the respiratory physiotherapist who had been treating the Liverpool striker, has broken his silence and revealed details about their travel plans — and the last time he saw them.

The testimony

“I said goodbye to them around dinnertime,” Gonçalves told Portuguese newspaper Record. He last saw the brothers at around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, just before they began the journey that would end in tragedy. According to him, they planned to stop overnight in a hotel in Burgos before continuing on to Santander to catch a ferry to England. “Diogo was fully aware of his responsibilities as a professional,” added the physio, who had been working with him daily since the previous Saturday.

“He was a true professional”

Gonçalves also firmly denied speculation that the pair had gone out partying: “They didn’t go out. He was a great professional. Always focused on his body and his recovery.” The travel plan included his family flying in later, and a scheduled medical appointment in Liverpool on Monday to assess his lung condition.

This account not only reconstructs Diogo Jota’s final hours, but also reinforces the image of a committed, disciplined footballer, fully dedicated to his career. A professional who left nothing to chance.

Football mourns him. And so do those who knew him.