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Diogo Jota of Liverpool with Nathaniel Phillips of Liverpool during a training session on August 01, 202(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Image)

Former Liverpool defender Nat Phillips has paid a touching tribute to Diogo Jota after the Portuguese's tragic death last week.

Jota was killed in a car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva in the early hours of Thursday, July 3, sparking an outpouring of grief from across the football world.

Jota and his brother were laid to rest at a funeral service in Portugal on Saturday (July 5), with many of his current and former team-mates from Liverpool and Portugal in attendance.

The Reds were given extended leave by the club in the wake of the tragedy, with players set to report back to the AXA Training Centre today (July 8) to begin pre-season.

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And Phillips, who brought his nine-year stay with Liverpool to an end last month with a £3m move to West Bromwich Albion, took to his Instagram page to leave a touching tribute to his former team-mate Jota..

He said: "I’ve got to be honest I’ve been struggling with this, as I’m worried I don’t have the words.

Rest in peace Diogo and Andre.