Diogo Jota (1996-2025)
Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother were killed in a car accident in Spain when the Lamborghini they were in veered off a road and burst into flames, police said yesterday.
The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed to The Associated Press that the 28-year-old Jota and his 25-year-old brother, André Silva, were found dead near the northwestern city of Zamora.
Jota’s death comes weeks after he married Rute Cardoso while on vacation from a long season where he helped Liverpool win the Premier League title. On getting married, he wrote in a social media post, “Yes to forever.” He leaves behind him three children, the youngest born last year.
Police were investigating the causes of the accident that occurred past midnight local time. They said there were no other vehicles involved and that the brothers were alone in the car. The bodies were undergoing forensic analysis.
It wasn’t clear who was driving the car. Police were looking into the hypothesis that the accident happened because of a blown tire while they tried to overtake another vehicle.
The crash occurred while they were traveling eastward along an isolated stretch of highway about an hour west of Zamora.
Video images of the aftermath published by Spanish media showed braking tire marks veering off the road toward torn-apart guardrails. The burnt-up car was seen several meters ahead, with some of the vegetation around it destroyed by the fire.
Jota was taking his summer break from soccer after having helped Portugal win the Nations League. That June 8 final against Spain in Munich was his last match.
Liverpool said the club was “devastated by the tragic passing.”
Jota was a clinical finisher, scoring 65 goals in 182 games for the Reds. His last goal for the club was the winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton in April, which moved the team closer to the league title.
His brother Silva played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.
The Portuguese soccer federation released a statement lamenting the deaths. Federation president Pedro Proença said Portuguese soccer was “completely devastated.”
“More than a fantastic player, with almost 50 appearances for the national team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person,” Proença said in the statement.
The Portuguese federation said it has requested a minute of silence before Thursday’s match between Portugal and Spain at the Women’s European Championship being played in Switzerland.
“We lost two champions,” Proença said. “Their deaths represent an irreparable loss for Portuguese soccer and we will all do our best to honor their legacy daily.”
Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro commented on the “unexpected and tragic” deaths. He said Jota was “an athlete who greatly honored Portugal’s name.”
Reaction also started pouring in from across the world, including from non-soccer players such as NBA star Lebron James — a minority owner at Liverpool — and tennis legend Rafael Nadal.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Jota’s Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo said. “Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had gotten married. My condolences to your family, to your wife and to your children. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”
Former club Porto and former teammates lamented the deaths and sent condolences, as did other clubs, federations and leagues.
The Premier League said it was “shocked and devastated.” TALES AZZONI, MADRID, MDT/AP
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