Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died in a tragic car accident in northern Spain at the age of 28, just two weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso.
Jota was reportedly travelling with his younger brother, André Silva, 26, also a professional footballer.
Both men were killed when their car veered off the road along the A-52 highway in Zamora, crashed, and caught fire. The A-52 is a major route commonly used by drivers heading out of northern Portugal into Spain.
Emergency services in the Castilla y León region confirmed the fatal crash. Responders from Zamora’s traffic police, fire brigade, and emergency medical teams were deployed to the scene. However, both occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
The news comes just days after Jota spoke in a newly released interview about his recent wedding to Cardoso, the mother of his three children. In it, he described himself as “the luckiest man in the world.”
Confirmation of Jota's death came from Pedro Proenca, President of the Portuguese Football Federation, who issued a statement expressing the nation’s grief. “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,” he said.
“Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 international appearances for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself. On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players respectively featured.
“The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute's silence this Thursday before the Women’s European Championship match between Portugal and Spain. Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and André Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honour their legacy.”
Jota joined Liverpool in 2020 and quickly became a fan favourite for his goal-scoring instinct, tireless work ethic, and humble off-pitch persona. He made nearly 50 appearances for Portugal’s national team and was expected to play a key role in upcoming international fixtures.
Tributes have begun pouring in from across the football world as players, fans, and clubs mourn the loss of a rising star whose life and career were cut tragically short.
