If Diogo Jota’s tragic death has taught us anything, it is that the football world is capable of uniting completely in the face of devastation.
The game is often perceived to have become more tribal as the years have passed, which is something Liverpool supporters who spend time on social media platforms will certainly attest to.
Rivalries have become more bitter and language has become increasingly lacking in empathy.
Nevertheless, after Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, were killed in a car accident on Thursday, fans, players and clubs of all nations and allegiance have been as one.
The untimely passing of Liverpool‘s eternal No. 20 has reminded many that life is too short for such trivialities, and it is much more productive to be kind and thoughtful.
Those practices were upheld once again on Saturday evening, as Germany star Jamal Musiala suffered a horror injury while playing for Bayern Munich.
Florian Wirtz sends support to Jamal Musiala
Musiala has had a tough time with Bayern recently. His start against PSG in the Club World Cup on Saturday was his first for more than three months.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old lasted just 45 minutes. After PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma came out to challenge him, Musiala suffered a nasty-looking ankle injury.
The German international’s teammates looked visibly upset by the state of their friend’s ankle, with Musiala then stretchered from the field in floods of tears.
One man who will have been feeling Musiala’s pain is new Liverpool signing Florian Wirtz. Wirtz and Musiala are close, having slowly become the two stars of their national team.
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And having seen the Bayern youngster go down in extreme pain, Wirtz sent a message of support on his Instagram stories.
“Stay strong my bro you’ll come back stronger!!” wrote the 22-year-old, along with two heart emojis.
What happened in the Club World Cup on Saturday?
Musiala’s injury was the cherry on top of a very bad day at the office for Bayern on Saturday.
Goals from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele knocked them out of the Club World Cup and saw PSG advance to the semi-finals.
There they will meet Real Madrid, who beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 later in the evening.
The other semi-final will be contested by Chelsea – who beat Palmeiras in the early hours of Saturday – and Brazilian side Fluminense, the only non-European team left in the competition.
For Musiala and Bayern, it is the end of the road, with legendary forward Thomas Muller also now departing following the end of his contract.