Portugal international and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota died in a car crash in Spain on July 3. According to Spanish outlet Marca and BBC, the 28-year-old was involved in an accident on the A-52 highway near Palacios de Sanabria, in the Zamora region of northwestern Spain. His brother, Andr Filipe — also a 26-year-old professional footballer — was reportedly travelling with him and also died in the crash.
According to initial reports, Jota and his brother were in a Lamborghini that suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle. The car veered off the road and caught fire shortly after, resulting in both brothers losing their lives at the scene. The fire spread to nearby vegetation, and emergency services from Zamora’s Provincial Council responded to the incident.
The accident occurred just ten days after Jota married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, in a ceremony held in Porto on June 22. Photos from the wedding showed the couple celebrating with their three children.
Jota began his football career with Paos de Ferreira in Portugal before securing a move to toAtléticoo Madrid in 2016. He went on to play in the Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers, eventually earning a transfer to Liverpool, where he became a regular part of the squad.
At Liverpool, Jota enjoyed a successful spell, winning both the FA Cup and League Cup under former manageJürgenen Klopp. Most recently, he was part of the team that lifted the Premier League title in the 2024–25 season under new head coach Arne Slot.
Internationally, Jota featured for Portugal in multiple major tournaments. Earlier this year, he was part of the squad that won the UEFA Nations League, appearing during extra time in the final against Spain. He also represented his country at Euro 2024.
The Portuguese Football Federation released a statement expressing deep sorrow and extending condolences following the deaths of Jota and his brother Andre.
"The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother Andr Silva, this morning, in Spain...The Portuguese Football Federation expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and Andr Silva, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players respectively played," the statement read.
"We have lost two champions. The passing of Diogo and Andr Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese Football, and we will do everything to honour their legacy daily," it added.
