The Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has been killed in a car accident in north-western Spain. He was 28, a father of three young children and had married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, less than two weeks ago.
Liverpool said they were devastated and tributes were paid by Portugal’s prime minister and the country’s football federation. It is understood that Jota and his brother, 26-year-old André, who was also killed, were travelling in a car that came off a road in the province of Zamora. André was a professional footballer with the second-tier Portuguese club Penafiel.
The cause of the accident, which happened at about midnight on Wednesday, is not clear, but according to police reports the driver lost control after one of the car’s rear tyres was punctured. The car, a Lamborghini, burst into flames and firefighters had to extinguish a blaze in the surrounding countryside caused by the accident.
The site of the accident in which Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother died in the province of Zamora. Photograph: Emilio Fraile/AP
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club. He won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and League Cup with Liverpool and the Championship title with Wolves in 2018, and was a two-time winner of the Nations League with Portugal. He was an immensely popular figure in the Liverpool dressing room with a warm and friendly personality.
“Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota,” said a club statement which also requested “the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support.”
A map showing the location of the car crash
Jota and his partner were married in Porto on 22 June and announced the news in an Instagram post a few days ago. On Monday Rute shared more pictures from their wedding day and wrote: “My dream came true.” Jota commented: “I’m the lucky one.” They had met in high school and started going out in 2013, a year before he turned professional.
Tributes at Anfield in memory of Diogo Jota. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
Portugal’s prime minister, Luís Montenegro, wrote on social media: “The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honoured Portugal’s name, and his brother is unexpected and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to their family. It is a sad day for football and for national and international sports.”
Pedro Proença, the president of the Portuguese FA, wrote on social media: “The Portuguese football federation and the entire Portuguese football community are completely devastated by the death of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, this morning in Spain. Much more than a fantastic player, who played almost 50 matches for the national A team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all his 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 to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players played respectively.
“The Portuguese football federation has already asked Uefa for a minute’s silence this Thursday, before our team’s match against Spain in the Women’s European Championship. We have lost two champions. The passing of Diogo and André Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day.”
Diogo Jota with the trophy after winning the Nations League last month. Photograph: Annegret Hilse/Reuters
The flag on Liverpool town hall has been lowered to half mast as a mark of respect for Jota and his brother.
