Tears and tributes as players honour Jota at Club World Cup

ORLANDO, FLA :Al-Hilal's Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo broke down in tears during the minute's silence held for their former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota before their side's Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense on Friday.

Jota, a Liverpool forward, and his younger brother Andre Silva were killed in a car accident in northwestern Spain on Thursday morning when their Lamborghini veered off the road and caught fire.

Tributes have continued to pour in for Jota and Andre with footballing greats including Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Gerrard, joining the Prime Ministers of Portugal and Britain in mourning the loss.

Friday's match between Al-Hilal and Fluminense in Orlando began with players and fans observing a minute's silence in memory of Jota and Andre.

Neves, one of Jota's closest friends who played with the 28-year-old during their days at Wolverhampton Wanderers, issued a touching tribute on Instagram about an hour before kick-off.

"Wherever you are, I know you're going to read this, we've never been one for this sort of thing and maybe now I'll regret it a little, but you know what you mean to me just as much as I know what I am to you," Neves said.

"More than a friendship, we're family, and we're not going to stop being family just because you've decided to sign a contract a little further away from us!

"When I go to the national team, you'll still be by my side at the dinner table, on the bus, on the plane... you'll always be there with me, as usual. We'll keep laughing, making plans, sharing our lives with each other.

"I'll make sure you're always there and I'll make sure your family never lacks anything while you're there, far away but thinking of us, waiting for us ...

"As of today, you'll be on the pitch with