EXCLUSIVE: Devastated Liverpool star Alisson will miss his father’s funeral in Brazil after desperately searching for a way home as he admits defeat in bid to get round Covid rules with his wife pregnant
- Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker desperately tried to find a way to Brazil following the tragic death of his father
- But he has been forced to make the heartbreaking decision to stay in the UK due to quarantine rules and his wife, Natalia, being 28 weeks pregnant
- His father Jose, 57, died after a swimming accident in Brazil on Wednesday
- The incident happened in a lake near a dam at around 5pm in the afternoon
- His body was discovered later by a friend of the family at around midnight
- Police report there was no suspected foul play involved over Mr Becker’s death
- His older brother, Muriel, who plays professional football in Brazil for Fluminense, has travelled to his parents’ home
Devastated Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker desperately tried to find a way to fly to Brazil following the tragic death of his father but had to make the heartbreaking decision to stay in the UK, according to a source close to the star.
Jose Agostinho Becker, 57, drowned Wednesday afternoon in a lake on the family’s ranch near the town of Lavras do Sul, southern Brazil.
Mr Becker’s body was found at around midnight by the bank of a river by friends and employees of the property who had started a search after his concerned family had raised the alarm at around 5pm. No foul play has been suspected.
Alisson Becker’s (left) dad Jose (right) passed away after drowning in a lake in Brazil
Jose Becker had been swimming in a lake near a dam when the accident happened on Wednesday
Alisson pictured with his father and mother, Magali, while on international duty with Brazil
Alisson has been forced to stay in the UK due to rules around quarantine and with his wife, Natalia, 28 weeks pregnant
It is believed Mr Becker, a real estate broker, had travelled on his own to the family’s rural holiday property, which has no mobile phone signal, while his wife Magali stayed behind at their home in Novo Hamburgo, 220 miles away.
Tragically he went to the ranch because he believed the isolated home would be safer as coronavirus sweeps southern Brazil, and after strict lockdown measures were imposed on the state of Rio Grande do Sul a week ago.
After receiving the devastating news on Wednesday night Alisson, who would speak to his dad every day, was determined to return to Brazil, according to a source at Sport Clube Internacional in Porto Alegre, the top flight club where he played before leaving for Europe.
Alission’s older brother Muriel, 34, goalkeeper at Rio de Janeiro club Fluminese, arrived at his parent’s home city on Thursday morning.
The source said: ‘He was doing everything he could to find a way, desperately looking at flights and ways he could get around both the ban on flights from the UK and the severe Covid restrictions in the state.
Mr Becker’s body was reportedly found at around midnight by a friend and employee of the family estate in the city of Bage, in the far south of Brazil
The Becker family pictured together years ago when Alisson (far left) was a young boy
Liverpool and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson’s parents Magali and Jose are pictured together
FUNERAL HEARTACHE FOR LIVERPOOL MANAGER AND GOALKEEPER
Alisson Becker being forced to miss the funeral of his father comes just over two weeks after his Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, was absent from the funeral of his mother.
Klopp was unable to attend the funeral of his mother Elisabeth, who died on January 19 aged 81, back in his native Germany due to Covid.
Germany has banned travellers from Britain due to the new Covid variant, although exceptions are allowed for people experiencing an ‘immediate family bereavement’.
Elisabeth Klopp, the mother of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (left) died at the age of 81 last month
Travellers must show a negative test and self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in Germany, although this can drop to five in some areas.
Passengers returning from Germany in Britain must do the same after arriving in the UK.
The FA can apply for special exemptions for elite sports people and managers that allows them to attend training and matches without self-isolating, provided they test negative for coronavirus.
These exemptions are granted on a case-by-case basis by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and it is not clear if Klopp would have been eligible.
‘In Brazil, the family were waiting to find out when he would be arriving before deciding on whether to hold his wake in Lavras do Sul, or to bring the body back to the Novo Hamburgo
‘But in the end he had to admit defeat. His wife Natalia is 28 weeks pregnant and he would have had to spend ten days in a quarantine hotel on his return.
‘He promised to come in three weeks’ time, when his Liverpool timetable allows, and spend five days here. But it’s tearing him apart that he won’t be able to be here for his dad’s funeral. They were the very best of friends.’
The autopsy was completed on Thursday afternoon and the family are now bringing Jose’s body to Novo Hamburgo, where his wake will be held on Friday.
A family friend told MailOnline that while it is not clear if Jose accidentally fell in the lake or entered the water to swim, he had told workers at the ranch he was going off to fish.
‘His favourite thing was to go hunting and fishing. When he didn’t return, employees called his family who alerted emergency services.
‘After the search drew a blank a team of divers were sent for who were due to start searching the lake and rivers this morning. But his body was found washed up on a river bank at around midnight.
‘Everyone is in shock. It’s so sad, he’d only arrived that morning and he thought it was the best place to be safe from the virus. He was alone and with no phone signal couldn’t call for help. No-one really knows what happened to him.’
Alisson’s former club International are to hold a minute’s silence during their last game of the Brazilian season against Fluminense later tonight.
Earlier, the club, from where both brothers emerged, tweeted their condolences.
In 2018, Alisson hailed the impact of his family’s sporting background – including his father’s
Brazilian clubs Internacional and Fluminese both tweeted their condolences to the family
‘It is with great sadness that we received the news of Jose Agostinho Becker’s death, the father of our ex-goalkeepers Alisson and Muriel,’ the club said.
Alisson, 28, who has two children Matteo and Helena, joined Liverpool in 2018 from Roma and was voted FIFA Best Men’s Goalkeeper in 2019.
Liverpool showed their support to Alisson on social media by posting a picture of him along with the message: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’
Their city neighbours Everton also tweeted support, saying: ‘The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Everton are with Alisson Becker and his family following the tragic news of the death of his father, Jose Becker.’
Alisson has won three titles since joining Liverpool in 2018 – such as last term’s Premier League
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