Liverpool's Colombian winger Luis Díaz came under heavy criticism on Sunday for not attending the funeral of his teammate Diogo Jota, who tragically died alongside his brother in a car accident last Wednesday in Zamora, Spain. Although Díaz had publicly expressed his grief, many fans felt his response to the tragedy was not enough.

Controversy over his appearance at an event in Colombia

The 28-year-old is currently in Colombia on vacation ahead of Liverpool’s preseason. However, his presence on Friday at a sports event in Barranquilla, part of the "Copa Creadores de Contenido" — a friendly football tournament featuring digital influencers from Latin America — sparked controversy. Díaz was seen supporting his brother, Roger Díaz, and interacting with fans and influencers.

The funeral for Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva took place on Saturday in Gondomar, Portugal, with most of the Liverpool squad and several figures from Portuguese football in attendance. Among the notable absentees were Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Luis Díaz himself. In the case of Díaz and Alisson, the long distance from South America was cited as a possible reason.

Nevertheless, social media was filled with messages of disappointment directed at the Colombian. "He disrespected his teammates, the club, and most of all, Diogo," read one of the most-shared posts on X (formerly Twitter). Criticism intensified as photos emerged of Díaz smiling and posing at the Colombian event.

Fans recall Jota’s gesture in 2023

Many users also remembered an emotional moment in 2023, when Diogo Jota celebrated a goal by holding up a shirt with Luis Díaz's name, in solidarity with the Colombian whose father had been kidnapped by guerrilla group ELN.

"I thought I’d see him at the funeral. It hurts, because Jota won over the hearts of Colombians that day. Sadly, Luis Díaz lost the hearts of the Reds today, and fans won’t forget it," one supporter wrote.

Although Luis Díaz posted an emotional message on Instagram on Thursday mourning Jota’s death, the debate around his absence at the funeral remains heated — and many are left wondering if he’ll be able to rebuild trust with fans who now feel deeply let down.