How Wirral artist Emma Rodgers was moved to create the Forever 20 memorial to Diogo Jota

The Wirral artist who’s created the ‘Forever 20’ sculpture in tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva has described it as a ‘story of remembrance, unity, and enduring human connection’.

The permanent memorial is due to be unveiled on 97 Avenue at Anfield early next month to mark the anniversary of the brothers’ tragic deaths last July.

Celebrating their lives, and the love and respect felt by family, teammates and supporters across the world, sculptor Emma Rodgers says she was moved to create it by the poignant words written by Liverpool Football Club as it remembered Diogo.

She said:

“I was inspired by their moving description of both the player and the man, and I developed a sculptural vision that sought to convey multiple layers of meaning, woven together to tell a story of remembrance, unity, and enduring human connection.

“Diogo and André’s lifelong connection as brothers, in life and in their passing; his immense love for his wife, children, and family; Diogo’s bond with his Liverpool teammates – seen by many as a brother within the squad – and his Portugal national teammates, who lost a brother in arms.”

It also represents, she says, the wider football community mourning a bright light gone too soon:

“Reds around the world who felt a deep emotional connection to a player who gave everything for the shirt and crest.”

At the centre of the flowing heart sculpture – an acknowledgement of Diogo’s iconic goal celebration – are the numbers 20 and 30 which adorned the back of the brothers’ playing shirts, along with lyrics to Jota’s famous song which fans still sing at every game on the 20th minute.

“My initial drawings and maquettes were centred on translating the words Always and Forever into sculptural form,” says Emma, the award winning and celebrated Merseyside artist behind the best-loved sculpture of Cilla which is now a permanent feature outside the Cavern Club, and whose celebrated work has even included designing and producing sculptures for the sets of Guardians of The Galaxy and Avengers Age of Ultron for Marvel Films.

“Always is expressed through the infinity symbol — a continuous line with no beginning or end — representing the unbreakable bond between Diogo and his brother André, connected beyond time. Forever together in memory, love, and spirit.

“And its form aims to capture the essence of Jota in action, where strength is tempered by elegance and power is expressed through fluidity rather than force.

“In celebration, he would frequently raise his hands, clasped in the shape of a heart, a simple yet powerful expression of love for his family, to whom many of his greatest moments were dedicated. The heart is created, interlinked and unified through the incorporation of the numbers 20 and 30 to express the enduring power of brotherhood, connection, and eternal love.

“An infinite surface, with no beginning or end, it serves as a timeless symbol of continuity, unity, and the unbreakable nature of deep human relationships.”

A single PlayStation controller that will rest on the plinth is a metaphor for Jota himself, she adds, his love of gaming, and his signature celebration pose – ‘play and friendship paused in time’.

Memorials placed at Anfield in memory of Diogo, together with Portuguese stone have been incorporated into the sculpture with sections of scarves and shirts set in wax to help form the structure and surface of the sculpture, and Emma continues: “Flowers placed at Anfield have been cast in bronze, so these fragile items gain permanence and transform personal remembrance into a physical presence.”

His song flows along the lines of the sculpture aiming to reflect the dynamic yet graceful nature of Jota’s skills and the lyrics, created and chanted by the fans, explains Emma, emphasize the reasons he was so loved on and off the pitch.

Emma, who’s worked closely with Gina Hatter of Studio HTTR and Castle Fine Arts Foundry who’ve helped her bring her vision to life, says Liverpool Football Club has been with her throughout its creation and been incredibly supportive.

She says:

“Every detail has been carefully considered from beginning to end, with the final touches of patina introducing soft hues of his home flag and the teams he loved throughout his journey.”

And Emma concludes:

“Through this, I hope I have created a lasting honour to a great player gone far too soon.”