Liverpool star Diogo Jota has died at the age of 28 after his Lamborghini careered off a road in northern Spain – just two weeks after he married his childhood sweetheart.
The Portuguese forward was travelling in the supercar with his younger brother Andre, 26, a fellow professional footballer who also died in the crash in the early hours of this morning.
The Lamborghini’s tyre is believed to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal.
The supercar came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames at around 12.35am, also igniting the surrounding vegetation. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved.
Liverpool FC said in a statement that the club is ‘devastated’ by the tragedy and that Diogo’s family, friends and fans had suffered an ‘unimaginable loss’. Flowers and tributes are being laid outside Anfield today, with many fans in tears.
Jota had just married Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old mother of his three children and partner since the age of 16. He had described himself as the luckiest man in the world to be her husband, sharing moving footage of their wedding day in his final Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon.
The couple married on June 22 in Porto, the footballer’s home city. Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post yesterday and said: ‘My dream come true.’ Jota replied in the comments: ‘I’m the lucky one.’
The Lamborghini crash happened on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The Spanish dual carriageway is a key route taken by drivers after leaving northern Portugal as they head for the ports of Santander and Bilbao or drive north-east towards France.
Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash and two fatalities at around 12.35am on Thursday morning. Diogo and Andre’s deaths were then confirmed by the Portuguese Football Federation at around 8am.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota’s friend and teammate and Portugal’s greatest player, said today: ‘It doesn’t make any sense. Just now we were together for the national team, you were just married. To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. RIP. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you’.
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Diogo Jota had married his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, in the last fortnight. Here they are pictured on their wedding day
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The remains of the Lamborghini that contained Diogo Jota and his brother Andre. Paramedics fought to save the men after the crash at around 12.35am today
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The couple have three children, pictured on the Anfield pitch in May after winning the Premier League
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Diogo’s brother Andre, 26, was also a footballer and died in the crash
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Diogo’s new wife Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post yesterday and said: ‘My dream come true.’ Jota replied in the comments: ‘I’m the lucky one.’
Diogo was born Diogo Silva, but changed his surname to Jota to stand out because it is a common surname. His brother Andre kept the family name.
The boys were the only children of parents Joaquim and Isabel Silva.
Jota was part of Liverpool’s Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He also played for Portugal’s national team and helped it win the Nations League last month in an extraordinary win over rivals Spain on penalties.
His younger brother played for Penafiel, in the second tier of Portuguese football.
The Spanish civil guard said he was found dead alongside his brother Andre Silva, after their car went off a road near the city of Zamora.
‘The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire,’ a statement read.
‘1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident.
‘From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene’.
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The happy couple with their children Denis, Duarte, and a daughter born in 2024, whose name has not been revealed
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Mr and Mrs Jota show off their rings after exchanging vows
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Diogo and Rute leave the church on June 22. They later said on social media that they had both said: ‘Yes to forever.’
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Jota described himself as the luckiest man in the world in an interview released yesterday after the couple walked down the aisle in Portugal
The couple shared pictures of their wedding on Instagram and Jota said it was ‘a day we will never forget’
The tragic news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto, his home city.
The Portuguese national football team have said they are ‘devastated’ by the death of Liverpool forward Diogo, adding that he ‘was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents’.
Liverpool posted on Instagram on Thursday morning: ‘Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.
‘The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre.
‘Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request 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.’
His death was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation.
He said in a statement: ‘The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, this morning, in Spain.
‘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.
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Diogo and Rute, pictured in a Liverpool shirt, just after her spouse won the league title with his team
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Diogo with his wife Rute and two of their children
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The couple got together in 2012, when they were teenagers
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Jota moved to Liverpool from Wolves
‘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 Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players.
‘The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute’s silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women’s European Championship.
‘Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy’.
Jota starred for Liverpool as they won the Premier League title in May and also played for Portugal’s national team and helped it win the Nations League last month.
His brother played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club – including the Premier League title last season.
Jota’s death comes weeks after he married Rute Cardoso and in a social media post wrote, ‘Yes to forever.’
The pair got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together – two sons and a daughter who was born in November.
Jota frequently shared pictures of him and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland.
They also have three pet beagles.
On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: ‘A day we will never forget.’
The sporting world is in a state of shock and mourning, with tributes flooding in for Diogo after his death in a car accident, aged 28.
Gary Neville wrote on X: ‘That is heartbreaking news on Diogo Jota and his brother. All my love and best wishes to his family.’
Jota had reportedly been travelling in a car with his brother Andre, who is also a 26-year-old footballer, when the vehicle went off road and the tragic news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto.
Jamie Carragher wrote: ‘Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota Thoughts are with his wife Rute & their three kids.’
Jota’s Portuguese and former Wolves team-mate Joao Neves added: ‘They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you.’
Former England striker Alan Shearer simply posted the word ‘heartbreaking’, while Stan Collymore described the news as ‘unfathomable’.
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Cristiano Ronaldo led tributes to his friend and teammate
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Diogo Jota’s death has led to an outpouring of tributes from the sporting world and beyond
Gary Neville shared his reaction to the tragic news of Jota’s death along with his brother, Andre
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Jamie Carragher took to Instagram to share his reaction to the devastating news
He said his thoughts were particularly with the family Jota has left behind
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David De Gea and Rio Ferdinand also shared tributes
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A Liverpool fan cries outside Anfield today
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Shirts were also hung in tribute outside Liverpool’s stadium
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Flowers were laid outside Anfield shortly after Jota’s death was revealed
‘I’m sure like many in the football family there’s just a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief at the news of Diogo Jota’s death at the unfathomably young age of 28. Newly married too,’ he said.
‘Sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends and everyone at Liverpool.’
Rivalries were of course put aside, with ex-Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea saying: ‘Sometimes life is very cruel,’ and Rio Ferdinand sharing: ‘Absolutely heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to Diogo Jota, Andre Silva, their family & friends!’
Jota’s former club Porto were the first of his old sides to offer their thoughts, writing: ‘FC Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks. Rest in peace.’
And legendary Portugal defender Pepe spoke about the loss of his friend.
‘It was with great sadness that I received the news of the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André. A premature, painful loss, which leaves us all poorer — as colleagues, as friends and as football lovers. In this moment of deep grief, I send my most sincere condolences to their family, friends and all who loved them. May they find strength in the love and memories they left behind. May they rest in peace,’ he wrote.’
And former Portugal manager Fernando Santos said the news had rendered him speechless.
He wrote: ‘I am shocked, speechless. It is a very sad moment for the family. It is a sad moment for everyone, especially for those who worked with him because everyone liked him.’
Clubs across the continent added their own tributes, including Sporting Lisbon, Braga and Napoli.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons the whole House ‘is heartbroken by this news’, adding: ‘I wanted to send our sympathies to his family on behalf of the whole House.’
