Summary:
- Liverpool’s Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 26, died in a Lamborghini crash on Spain’s A-52 highway.
- The Portuguese Football Federation asked for a minute of silence before Thursday’s women’s European Championship match between Portugal and Spain.
- Diogo had recently married his longtime partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three children.
Liverpool’s Diogo Jota has died in a tragic car accident in northern Spain at just 28 years old. He was driving his Lamborghini on the A-52 near Zamora when one of the tires blew out while he was passing another car. The vehicle went off the road and caught fire.
His younger brother André Silva, who is 26 and also a professional footballer, was with him and sadly died in the crash as well.
Tragedy Struck Weeks After Wedding
The accident took place early yesterday morning, about 70 miles west of Valladolid, in Spain’s Castilla and Leon region.
Emergency crews responded quickly but sadly could only confirm that both men had died at the scene. Several emergency calls had reported the burning car around kilometer 65 on the A-52 near Cernadilla.
Shortly after the crash, the Zamora Provincial Council shared a short statement confirming what had happened.
They explained that firefighters from the Rionegro del Puente station rushed to the scene, where the car was ablaze and flames had spread to nearby plants. The statement closed quietly with “RIP”.
The tragedy struck just weeks after Diogo Jota celebrated one of the happiest times in his life, his wedding to longtime partner Rute Cardoso.
The couple shared three children, and not long after their ceremony in Porto, Jota posted on social media calling himself “the luckiest man in the world.”
The Portuguese Football Federation, “Utterly Devastated”
On Thursday morning, the Portuguese Football Federation shared a heartfelt statement in which they expressed their deep sorrow over the loss of Diogo and his brother.
Speaking on nehalf of the dereration, president Pedro Proença said they were “utterly devastated” by the two deaths.
Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations 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.
The statement also offered heartfelt condolences to the families, as well as to Liverpool FC, FC Penafiel, and the football community in general, calling the loss “irreparable” and promising to honor the brothers’ memory every day.
The Portuguese Football Federation has asked for a minute of silence before the upcoming women’s European Championship match between Portugal and Spain.
Liverpool FC posted,