James Milner has described it as “special moment” wearing the No. 20 shirt for Brighton against Liverpool in memory of the late Diogo Jota.
The Reds beat the Seagulls 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday, with Milner coming on as a late substitute against his former club.
The veteran midfielder entered the pitch wearing the No. 20 shirt, having chosen that number out of respect for Jota, following his tragic passing in July.
Writing on Instagram after the game, Milner reflected on a “special moment” for him, also showing his love for the Liverpool fans who gave him such a warm welcome.
“Disappointing result but happy to be back out on the pitch and a special moment to play at Anfield wearing the #20,” Milner wrote.
“A massive thank you for the incredible welcome from the Anfield crowd. YNWA.
“Also to the travelling fans for your continued support, we need you with us over this period.”
This will have been an emotional occasion for Milner, who returned to Anfield for the first time since his good friend Jota passed away.
Like so many, the 39-year-old was devastated by the news during the summer, speaking of his love for the Portuguese as a person and a teammate.
“I loved the guy, absolutely loved him. Loved him as a player, loved him even more as a team-mate and a friend, absolutely loved him,” Milner said.
“Carlos [Baleba] wanted to change his number, so the No. 20 became available and it felt like the right thing for me to do. Every day when I put my kit on, I’ll think of him.
“We were only together at Liverpool for three seasons and you might not have thought we had much in common – different nationalities, very different ages – but we hit it off immediately.
“Maybe it was because we were both so stubborn. Honestly, people say I’m stubborn, but Jots could give me a run for my money.
“He was an unbelievable guy, one of my favourite team-mates I’ve had in all my time playing. He was always up for a laugh, always winding people up.”
To see Milner wear the No. 20 shirt was a lovely moment, and his decision to do so for the whole of the 2025/26 season sums up his class.
Ibrahima Konate later shared a photo of the shirt from a lounge at Anfield, having swapped with Milner at full-time.
Gone but never forgotten, Diogo.
