Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Andrew Powell/Liverpool Football Club

When tragedy strikes, the football world often rallies together to support those affected.

But for Trent Alexander-Arnold, playing the game he loves while grieving the loss of a close friend was far from easy.

The news of Diogo Jota’s death earlier this week, alongside his brother André Silva, shocked the football community.

Alexander-Arnold, who spent five years at Liverpool sharing a dressing room with Jota, found it nearly impossible to focus on football as he prepared for Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund in New Jersey.

The game, meant to be another crucial match on the road to glory for Real Madrid, carried with it an emotional weight for Alexander-Arnold, who had been deeply affected by Jota’s passing.

While he knew the team had to win, the emotional strain of losing someone so close was ever-present.

After the game, Alexander-Arnold shared his raw emotions, speaking about how difficult it was to play under such circumstances.

“I want to send my condolences and my thoughts and prayers to a close friend of mine,” Trent said to DAZN.

“I had five years sharing a dressing room with him [Jota] and it goes without saying that he will never be forgotten by anyone.”

“He will live long in our memories.”

He added that despite the immense pain, he had a responsibility to the team.

“At the end of the day, I still had a job to do today.”

“I had to go out there and perform for the team, help us win the game, no matter how difficult it was and how difficult it is,” he said.

“It was difficult, I’m not going to lie about that, but I have done it in honour of my close friend.”

The grief was not just personal for Alexander-Arnold; he acknowledged the collective sorrow felt by Jota’s teammates, family, and the wider football community.

“It’s been very difficult for everyone that knew him, not just me and his teammates, friends or family, but the footballing world,” he said.

“Some things are bigger than the game.”

His words highlighted the heartache, but they also underscored the powerful bond of friendship and respect that transcends the game.

“He was a very close friend, somebody who lit up a room,” Alexander-Arnold concluded, a testament to the light Jota brought to all who knew him.

Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone