Players from Portugal and Spain observed a moment of silence before their Women's European Championship opening match on Thursday, in memory of Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.

Both teams' players also wore black armbands during the game. The players and supporters remained silent for approximately 20 seconds before the fans began applauding.

Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva tragically lost their lives in a car crash shortly after midnight in northwestern Spain, when the Lamborghini they were traveling in veered off the road and caught fire, according to Spanish police reports.

This incident led to widespread expressions of grief from fans, players, and officials in both women's and men's soccer.

'First, I want to take a moment to express our respects to Diogo and his brother. Our thoughts are with their family,' said Portugal coach Francisco Neto after his team's 5-0 defeat to world champions Spain.

'Diogo supported our team because he loved the country. I served as an assistant coach for the under-19 team during elite rounds when Diogo was in that age group, and we met there. Since then, we've stayed in touch, especially during camps involving both men's and women's teams.

'Whenever we spoke, he always knew the latest results and followed the team and some players closely. This reflects our culture in Portugal, where everyone supports the success of all teams. It's a value upheld by our federation and defines us as a nation.

'Today is a deeply sad day because two young lives were lost, and it's not a good day for anyone. If we could change everything, we would do so in an instant.'