The football world is heartbroken after the death of Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota in a car crash in north-west Spain. Jota was 28 years old and a father of three. He had married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, just 11 days earlier. He died along with his brother, André Silva, when their Lamborghini went off the road.
The accident happened around 12:40 a.m. on Thursday in the Zamora region of Spain. The cause isn’t confirmed, but police think the car got a flat tire while trying to overtake another vehicle. This may have made the driver lose control. The car caught fire, and firefighters had to put out a blaze in the area. The burnt car was found near the A-52 road, close to Cernadilla. The brothers’ funeral will take place Saturday morning in Gondomar, near Porto, where they grew up.
Liverpool FC said they were deeply saddened. Former manager Jürgen Klopp, who brought Jota to the club, said on Instagram he was heartbroken. Klopp, who is religious, wrote: “This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it!” Current coach Arne Slot said Jota was “loved by everyone” and showed the true spirit of a Liverpool player. He added that he last spoke to Jota to congratulate him on winning the Nations League and wished him well for his wedding. Slot said it was supposed to be a dream summer for Jota and his family, which makes the tragedy even sadder.
Tributes came from all over football. Jota’s brother, André Silva, was also a footballer and played for Portuguese second-division club Penafiel. Cristiano Ronaldo said the news made no sense. “We were just together in the national team. You just got married,” he wrote. “To your family, wife, and children, I send my condolences and all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will miss you.”
Fans from different teams left flowers, football shirts, and scarves in memory of Jota near the Main Stand at Anfield. Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish said, “Football doesn’t matter at such a sad time. We feel helpless because there’s not much we can do to ease the pain for his wife, who he married just two weeks ago, and their three lovely children.”
Liverpool players like Darwin Núñez, Dominic Szoboszlai, and Harvey Elliott shared their tributes. Elliott said Jota was “humble, hardworking, kind, and always ready to help anyone who needed it.” The Liverpool team is expected to return for pre-season training early next week, and their first friendly match is set for Sunday, 13 July, against Preston.
Jota joined Liverpool in 2020 for £41 million. He scored 65 goals in 182 games for the team. Fans called him “Jota the slotter” because of his great finishing skills. He helped Liverpool win the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup, and he also won the 2018 Championship with Wolves. With Portugal, he won the Nations League twice. His final game was the Nations League final on 8 June, where Portugal beat Spain in a penalty shootout.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said, “Just three weeks ago, I gave Diogo Jota a medal after the Nations League final. It was a moment full of pride and happiness, which now sadly becomes a memory filled with sadness.”
Diogo Jota, who scored 14 goals in 49 games for Portugal, was very well liked by his teammates at Liverpool. Liverpool Football Club said they are heartbroken about his tragic death. In their statement, they asked people to respect the privacy of Diogo, André, their family, friends, teammates, and club staff as they deal with this terrible loss. The club said they will keep supporting them fully.
Liverpool has opened a condolence book at Anfield that people can sign until Sunday. There is also an online version. Flags at the stadium and at Liverpool Town Hall have been lowered to half-mast. The club’s shops, museum, and tours will stay closed until Monday.
“We are all heartbroken right now,” said Michael Edwards, head of football at Fenway Sports Group (Liverpool’s owner), and Richard Hughes, the club’s sporting director. “As his teammates, friends, and coworkers, we are in deep shock and sadness. We know that our fans, his national team, his former clubs, and the whole football world are feeling this pain too. This loss is bigger than just Liverpool Football Club.
“In the days ahead, we will honour our much-loved No. 20 in a way that shows our deep respect and love for him. We want all our supporters to be part of these tributes, because Diogo meant a lot to everyone. Right now, we are full of grief and pain. We’ve lost someone truly special and impossible to replace. Rest in peace, Diogo. You’ll never walk alone.”
Jota and his partner got married in Porto on June 22. They shared the news a few days later on Instagram. On Monday, Rute posted more wedding photos and wrote, “My dream came true.” Jota replied, “I’m the lucky one.” They met in high school and began dating in 2013, one year before Jota became a professional footballer. They have three young children: Denis, Duarte, and a baby girl born last year whose name hasn’t been shared.
The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luís Montenegro, both sent their condolences to Jota, Silva, and their families. Angela Rayner, the UK Deputy Prime Minister, also paid her respects at Anfield while visiting Liverpool for government work.
Portugal’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said:
“Diogo Jota played football for Portugal at the highest level. He was very professional and dedicated. He was part of a great generation that helped make Portuguese football strong. The president sends his deepest sympathy to Diogo’s family, friends, and teammates. This is a very sad loss for all Portuguese people.”
Pedro Proença, the president of the Portuguese Football Association, wrote on social media:
“We have lost two great players. The deaths of Diogo and André Silva are a big loss for Portuguese football. We will do our best to remember and honour them every day.”
Published: 4th July 2025
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