Everton captain Seamus Coleman has paid his respects to Diogo Jota and his family in a typically humble and understated manner.

Tributes have been paid across the world of football to the Liverpool forward and his brother Andre Silva, who were both killed in a car crash in Spain in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The two men were laid to rest at a funeral ceremony in their native Portugal on Saturday, with Arne Slot’s squad in attendance.

Thousands of people have been flocking to Anfield in recent days to pay their respects to the victims of the tragedy, and Coleman had the most benign of reasons for waiting until late on Friday night to do so.

Liverpool supporter Francis Ventre took to X to praise the Everton captain for his gesture of solidarity, explaining: 

As ever during times of tragedy on Merseyside, Everton have conducted themselves with the utmost dignity and class since Diogo Jota’s death, and the same can be said of their club captain.

Coleman has always carried himself as a classy player and individual, the best example of which was his £4,300 donation towards the fundraising effort for Sean Cox in 2018 when the Liverpool supporter was in hospital after being assaulted prior to the Champions League semi-final against Roma at Anfield.

That the Republic of Ireland international would choose to wait until hours of darkness away from the public glare to pay his respects to Diogo and Andre attest to his humble and modest character, simply wishing to do the right thing without looking for any praise or publicity.

The two leading clubs on Merseyside will always have a healthy footballing rivalry which comes to the fore on derby day, but when it comes to matters which are of much greater importance than what happens on the pitch, Everton and their fans invariably show solidarity and class.

Their support over the past few days (and that of Coleman) will be remembered by Reds for a long time and is heartily appreciated.