The footballing community was struck with disbelief and grief on Thursday following the news of Jota’s passing, along with his brother Andre Silva, in a car crash in northern Spain.
Tributes have been flooding in for the brothers from every part of the sport, especially from Wolves and Jota’s current team at the time of his death, Liverpool.
Pereira and Jota hail from different regions on the outskirts of Porto, and although they did not collaborate in senior football, the Wolves head coach delivered a heartfelt homage to his fellow countryman.
“It’s hard to believe,” Pereira said with a post on Instagram, accompanied by a picture of Jota.
“Someone left who touched a lot of people, on and off the field.
“It’s impossible to be indifferent to the legacy he left and the way he lived the game with so much passion.
“My thoughts are with the family and all who are feeling this immense pain. RIP Diogo and Andre.”
The remains of Jota and Silva will be buried in Portugal this morning, just two weeks after Jota wed his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
Jota’s colleagues at Wolves and Liverpool have also honored the beloved footballer, while floral tributes have been placed outside Molineux and Anfield.
Liverpool have already declared that Jota’s number 20 shirt will be ‘rightly immortalised’.
Wolves chairman Jeff Shi and Matt Wild, director of football operations and administration, both offered moving tributes to their former player.
It is understood Wolves are proceeding carefully with additional tributes to Jota as they strive to do justice to his significant contribution to the club’s history.