Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother were murdered in a car accident in Spain when their Lamborghini went off the road and caught fire, authorities confirmed Thursday.
The Spanish Civil Guard verified to The Associated Press that Jota, 28, and his 25-year-old brother, André Silva, were discovered dead near the northwestern city of Zamora.
Jota died just weeks after marrying Rute Cardoso while on holiday from a lengthy season that saw him assist Liverpool win the Premier League title. In a social media post following her wedding, she stated, “Yes to forever.” He leaves behind three children, the youngest of whom was born last year.
Police were examining the causes of the collision, which occurred after midnight local time. They claimed there were no other vehicles involved and the boys were alone in the automobile. The bodies were being forensically examined.
It was unclear who drove. Police were investigating the possibility that the accident occurred due to a blown tire while the driver attempted to overtake another vehicle.
The accident occurred while Jota and Silva, a Portuguese soccer player, were driving eastward along an isolated section of highway near the Portuguese border.
Spanish media published video footage of the aftermath, which showed tire traces breaking off the road and diverting into torn-apart guardrails. The burned-out automobile was visible several meters ahead, with the greenery surrounding it damaged by the fire.
A trucker passing by captured video of the Lamborghini in flames, which was later aired by local media.
According to Portuguese media, Jota was en route to the northern city of Santander to board a ship to England after being advised against flying due to a recent lung surgery. The reports could not immediately be corroborated.
The funeral is planned to take place on Saturday in Porto, Portugal.
Diogo Jota was taking a summer break from soccer after helping Portugal win the Nations League. His final match, on June 8, was against Spain in Munich.
Liverpool’s players are set to return for the next season on Monday. But Jota’s participation in the Nations League may have earned him some more time off.
Liverpool declared that the club was “devastated.”
“Liverpool FC will make no further comment at this time and ask that the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates, and club personnel be respected as they try to cope with an incomprehensible tragedy. We will continue to offer them our full support.
Following Jota’s death, Liverpool fans laid flowers and team scarves outside Anfield Stadium.
“What can anyone say at a time like this, when shock and pain are so intense? “I wish I had the words, but I am aware that I do not,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot stated in a statement. “All I have are feelings that I know many people will share regarding a person and a player we adored, as well as a family we hold dear.
“My first ideas are not typical of a football manager. They are a father, a son, a brother, and an uncle. They belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva, who have faced such an inconceivable tragedy. He said.
Diogo Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and has won three major championships with the Merseyside club.
Diogo Jota netted 65 goals in 182 games with the Reds. His final goal for the club was the winner in the Merseyside derby against Everton in April, which helped the squad clinch the league title.
Silva, his brother, played in the lower leagues for the Portuguese team Penafiel.
Portugal Mourns the Loss of Diogo Jota and His Brother
Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, described Jota as “an athlete who greatly honored Portugal’s name.”
“I extend my deepest condolences to their family,” the politician stated. “It is a sad day for soccer and national and international sports.”
Jota, born in Porto in 1996, began his professional career with Portuguese team Paços de Ferreira.
Pedro Proença, head of the Portuguese Soccer Federation, described the town as “completely devastated.”
“More than a superb footballer with nearly 50 national team appearances, Diogo Jota was a remarkable individual who was revered by all of his colleagues and opponents. He had a contagious pleasure and was well-known in his neighborhood,” Proença added in the statement.
A moment of silence was given before Thursday’s match between Portugal and Spain at the Women’s European Championship in Switzerland.
“We lost two champions,” Proença explained. “Their deaths represent an irreparable loss for Portuguese soccer, and we will all do our best to honor their legacy daily.”
Sports world reacts
Reactions flooded in from all around the world, including NBA star LeBron James (a minority owner at Liverpool) and tennis legend Rafael Nadal.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Jota’s Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo stated. “We were just together on the national team, and you just got married —my sympathies to your family, including your wife and children. I wish them all the strength in the world. I know you’ll always be with them. Diogo and André, rest in peace. “We’ll all miss you.”
Porto and former teammates mourned the losses and expressed their condolences, as did other teams, federations, and leagues.
The Premier League stated that it was “shocked and devastated.”
“Our sincerest condolences go to Diogo’s family, friends, Liverpool FC, and all their supporters at this heartbreaking time,” according to the statement. “Football has lost a champion who will be greatly missed. We will continue to support our clubmates.”
UEFA expressed their condolences to the relatives, friends, and teammates who have been touched “by this heartbreaking loss.” It stated that a moment of silence will also be observed at Euro 2025 matches on Friday.
At the Wimbledon tennis event, where participants must wear white uniforms while on court, an All England Club representative stated that if a player wishes to remember Jota by wearing a black ribbon on their shirt, it will be permitted upon request.
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