The Liverpool squad is in mourning following the tragic death of Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, in a car accident in Spain. The 28-year-old forward and his 25-year-old brother died early Thursday morning after their car veered off a motorway and caught fire. The accident occurred on the A-52 road near Palacios de Sanabria in Zamora, Spain. A tire blowout is suspected to have caused the vehicle to veer off the road while overtaking another vehicle.
Mohamed Salah has expressed his devastation and reluctance to return to Liverpool in the wake of the tragedy. In a post on X, Salah wrote that he is "truly lost for words" and "never thought there would be something that would frighten me of going back to Liverpool after the break". He further added, "It's going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won't be there when we go back". Salah and Jota played together in 151 games for Liverpool, with Salah assisting on 13 of Jota's 65 goals for the club.
Tributes have poured in from across the football community. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo are among those who have expressed their condolences. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot acknowledged the grief within the club, describing Jota as "not just our player" but someone loved by all. Slot extended his support, saying, "My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone". Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, currently playing in the Netherlands, visited Anfield to pay his respects. Club captain Virgil van Dijk also shared his devastation on social media.
Liverpool had planned a phased return of players for pre-season training starting Friday, but this has been postponed to allow the squad and staff time to process the loss. The team is now expected to return to the AXA Training Centre on Monday. Players are also likely to travel to Portugal to attend the funeral for Jota and his brother.
Jota, a Portuguese international, was married to Rute Cardoso, and they had three children. Salah extended his condolences to Jota's family, saying, "My thoughts are with his wife, his children, and of course his parents who suddenly lost their children…They will never be forgotten".
Diogo Jota began his professional career at Pacos de Ferreira before playing for Atletico Madrid, FC Porto, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He joined Liverpool on September 19, 2020. During his time with the club, he won the Premier League title last season, as well as the FA Cup and two League Cups. Fans have left flowers, scarves, and shirts outside Anfield and Wolves' Molineux ground. Emma Dainty, a Liverpool fan, described the tragedy, saying, "One of our great players has just lost his life and his brother as well…He's not just a footballer to me. He had a wife, children. He had a family. It just shouldn't have happened".
