Diogo Jota mentioned Serena Williams as a female icon he wanted his daughter to idolise before his tragic death. The Liverpool striker's passing on Thursday shook the sporting world as it emerged that he and his younger brother, Andre Silva, had been killed in a car crash in the Zamora region of Spain, near the Portugal border.

A police statement explained that at around 00:30 local time, the Lamborghini they were in appeared to have veered off the road after a suspected tyre blowout during an overtake, which saw the car engulfed in flames. Both professional footballers were pronounced dead on the scene, with the tragedy coming just 11 days after he married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, who is also the mother of his three children. And among the countless tributes paid to the beloved Portugal international has emerged a tale of just how much he supported women in sport.

The 28-year-old spoke to the official Liverpool website last year for International Women's Day. During the interview, he highlighted how he wanted his children to have "role models" to look up to.

Jota began by mentioning the impact his mother and grandmother had on him as a youngster, saying: "My grandmother helped a lot raising us. I had the feeling of being loved, and it is special to have that bond with your mother and grandmother." He also talked about his wife and the support she gave him and his children.

He went on to mention seven-time Wimbledon singles winner Williams, adding: "In Portugal [Olympic marathon runner] Rosa Mota was a very good athlete - she still is - and in Brazilian football we have Marta, who made a big difference in women stepping up into football. In other sports like tennis we have like Serena Williams, an unbelievable player who gets all the recognition she deserves."

Praising his comments following the footballer's death, Her Sport wrote on its social media channels: "We don't often post about men's sport, but today, we're making space. At Liverpool FC, whenever there was a campaign about women or keeping girls in the game, Diogo Jota showed up. Not because he had to, because he understood WHY it mattered.

To be the first to receive the latest Wimbledon news, join our WhatsApp community or Wimbledon newsletter

"A devastating loss for his family, his teammates and everyone who saw the strength of his character beyond the game. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre."

The post inspired other people to share their stories and thoughts online, with one being particularly touching. A mum replied, saying: "After my littlest got picked on at school for being a girl who loves football, just the typical phrases - 'football isn't for girls' etc, Diogo noticed her waiting for him and spoke with so much respect and told her how important it was for her to stick [at it] and grow to be a role model to other little girls like his little girl! He was always a gentleman, too soon."

In a heart-warming tribute, Wimbledon honoured the former Wolves star on Thursday in a rare move that allowed players competing in SW19 to wear black armbands. Traditionally, tennis stars at the tournament are bound by an all-white mandate which they were allowed to break on this occasion.