The football world is in mourning after the tragic death of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, in a car crash in Zamora, Spain on Thursday morning. The devastating incident occurred just days after Jota's wedding to his longtime partner and childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Rute Cardoso was called upon to identify the bodies of her husband and his brother after the police were unable to do so using the car's license plate. Understandably, this traumatic experience has led to Cardoso receiving psychological counseling. Personal belongings recovered from the wreckage of the fiery Lamborghini were entrusted to her.
According to reports, the brothers were traveling to Santander to catch a ferry to Portsmouth after spending a night in Benavente. They failed to arrive in Benavente as expected, which prompted a relative to raise the alarm. The cause of the accident is believed to be a tire blowout, which caused the car to crash and burst into flames. Medical personnel confirmed the deaths of both occupants shortly after arriving at the scene.
Diogo Jota, 28, was a key player for Liverpool since joining the club in 2020, scoring 65 goals in 182 matches. He celebrated six key goals last season, contributing to Liverpool's Premier League glory. He also won the FA Cup and League Cup with Liverpool and twice celebrated the Nations League victory with Portugal. Tributes have poured in from across the sporting world, with many expressing their grief at his sudden demise. Ruben Neves, Jota's former teammate at Wolves, shared an emotional message on social media, saying, "They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you!". The President of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proenca, described Jota as an extraordinary person with an infectious joy and a reference in the community.
Liverpool Football Club released a statement expressing their devastation at the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club requested privacy for Jota and Andre's family, friends, teammates, and club staff as they come to terms with their unimaginable loss and have pledged their full support. A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Zamora stated that the investigation into the crash is ongoing and that a full police report will be submitted to a duty court in Zamora. The investigation will determine the approximate speed of the vehicle from evidence including skid marks.
Diogo Jota and Rute Cardoso were childhood sweethearts and have three young children together. They married on June 22, 2025, just weeks before the tragic accident. Hours before his death, the couple shared a video on social media commemorating their wedding day. The post read, "A day we will never forget," and has since been flooded with condolences from fans.
