Diogo Jota, a Liverpool player, died at the age of 28 after his Lamborghini crashed off a road in northern Spain, only two weeks after marrying his childhood girlfriend.
The Portuguese attacker was riding in the supercar with his younger brother Andre, 26, a fellow professional player who was also killed in the incident in the early hours of today morning.
The Lamborghini, apparently a £150,000 Urus SUV, is believed to have blown a tire when overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla in Zamora in northeastern Spain, near the Portuguese border.
At roughly 12.35 a.m., the supercar ran off the road, rolled, and exploded into flames, burning the surrounding foliage. The emergency services were contacted, but the boys were unable to be saved. Police said they do not yet know who was driving.
Liverpool FC issued a statement saying that the club is ‘devastated’ by the tragedy and that Diogo’s family, friends, and supporters have experienced a ‘unimaginable loss’. Flowers and tributes are being strewn outside Anfield today, bringing many fans to tears.
Jota had recently married Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old mother of his three children and companion since age 16. In his farewell Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon, he proclaimed himself as the happiest guy in the world to be her husband and shared touching images of their wedding day.
The pair married on June 22 in Porto, the footballer’s hometown. Rute published more wedding day photos in a social media post Wednesday, writing, ‘My dream come true.’ Jota responded in the comments, ‘I’m the lucky one.’
The Lamborghini collision occurred on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The Spanish dual carriageway is an important route used by cars from northern Portugal to travel to the ports of Santander and Bilbao or north-east into France.
At roughly 12.35 a.m. on Thursday, emergency services in Castilla and Leon verified the incident and the deaths of two people. The Portuguese Football Federation verified Diogo and Andre’s deaths at roughly 8 a.m.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota’s buddy and teammate and Portugal’s finest player, stated today, ‘It doesn’t make any sense. We were just together on the national team, and you had just got married. I express my sympathies to your family, including your wife and children, and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you’ll always be with them. RIP. Diogo and André. We’ll all miss you.
Diogo was born Diogo Silva, but changed his surname to Jota to distinguish himself because it is a popular surname. His brother Andre retained the family name.
The boys were Joaquim and Isabel Silva’s sole offspring.
Jota helped Liverpool win the Premier League in 2024/25, scoring six goals in 26 games. He also played for Portugal’s national team, who won the Nations League last month with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Spain.
Diogo Jota, a 28-year-old Liverpool player, died in a horrible vehicle accident, as revealed in his farewell social media message (article image).
His younger brother played for Penafiel, a second-tier Portuguese football team.
The Spanish civil guard stated he was discovered dead with his brother Andre Silva, after their car skidded off a road near the city of Zamora.
The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room got multiple reports reporting a car collision on Km. 65 of the A-52 in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A automobile was claimed to have been involved in a collision, and it was on fire, according to the statement.
‘1-1-2 contacted the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) about the collision.
‘From then, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were dispatched, who verified the deaths of two persons on the site’.
The devastating news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term love, Rute Cardoso, in Porto, his hometown.
The Portuguese national football team has said they are ‘devastated’ by the loss of Liverpool striker Diogo, adding that he ‘was not only a superb player with nearly 50 caps for the national team, but also an exceptional person who was revered by all his colleagues and opponents’.
Liverpool Football Club was grieved by the untimely loss of Diogo Jota, according to a message on Instagram on Thursday morning.
‘The club has been notified that the 28-year-old died in a road traffic accident in Spain, together with his brother Andre.
‘Liverpool FC will make no further statement at this time and ask that the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates, and club personnel be respected as they cope with an unspeakable tragedy.
‘We will continue to offer them our full support.
His death was verified by Pedro Proenca, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation.
He said in a statement: “The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva this morning in Spain.”
‘More than an incredible player with nearly 50 international appearances for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an outstanding person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with contagious pleasure, and a reference in the community.
‘On my part, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the teams where the players were lined up.
‘The Portuguese Football Federation has already requested a minute of quiet from UEFA on Thursday, before to our national team’s play against Spain in the Women’s European Championship.
‘We lost to two champions. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy’.
Jota starred for Liverpool as they won the Premier League title in May and also played for Portugal’s national team and helped it win the Nations League last month.
His brother played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club – including the Premier League title last season.
Jota’s death comes weeks after he married Rute Cardoso and in a social media post wrote, ‘Yes to forever.’
The pair got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together – two sons and a daughter who was born in November.
Jota frequently shared pictures of him and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland.
They also own three pet beagles.
On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: ‘A day we will never forget.’
The sporting world is in a state of shock and mourning, with tributes flooding in for Diogo after his death in a car accident, aged 28.
Gary Neville wrote on X: ‘That is heartbreaking news on Diogo Jota and his brother. All my love and best wishes to his family.’
Jota had reportedly been travelling in a car with his brother Andre, who is also a 26-year-old footballer, when the vehicle went off road and the tragic news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto.
Jamie Carragher wrote: ‘Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota Thoughts are with his wife Rute & their three kids.’
Jota’s Portuguese and former Wolves team-mate Joao Neves added: ‘They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you.’
Former England striker Alan Shearer simply posted the word ‘heartbreaking’, while Stan Collymore described the news as ‘unfathomable’.
I’m sure like many in the football family there’s just a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief at the news of Diogo Jota’s death at the unfathomably young age of 28. Newly married too,’ he said.
‘Sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends and everyone at Liverpool.’
Rivalries were of course put aside, with ex-Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea saying: ‘Sometimes life is very cruel,’ and Rio Ferdinand sharing: ‘Absolutely heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to Diogo Jota, Andre Silva, their family & friends!’
Jota’s former club Porto were the first of his old sides to offer their thoughts, writing: ‘FC Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks. Rest in peace.’
And legendary Portugal defender Pepe spoke about the loss of his friend.
‘It was with great sadness that I received the news of the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André. A premature, painful loss, which leaves us all poorer — as colleagues, as friends and as football lovers. In this moment of deep grief, I send my most sincere condolences to their family, friends and all who loved them. May they find strength in the love and memories they left behind. May they rest in peace,’ he wrote.’
And former Portugal manager Fernando Santos said the news had rendered him speechless.
He wrote: ‘I am shocked, speechless. It is a very sad moment for the family. It is a sad moment for everyone, especially for those who worked with him because everyone liked him.’
Clubs across the continent added their own tributes, including Sporting Lisbon, Braga and Napoli.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons the whole House ‘is heartbroken by this news’, adding: ‘I wanted to send our sympathies to his family on behalf of the whole House.’
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