MADRID: Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother died in a car crash in Spain on Thursday, police said, weeks after the Portugal star got married, sparking widespread grief.
The Civil Guard said a vehicle veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight in the municipality of Cernadilla in the northwestern Zamora province, confirming the deaths of Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva.
"Everything points to the blowout of a tyre while it (the vehicle) was overtaking," the Civil Guard said in a statement, adding that the corpses had been taken to a morgue. Local media published video footage showing debris and the charred, mangled remains of what they identified as Jota's Lamborghini on the side of a motorway. Portugal great Cristiano Ronaldo paid tribute to Jota on X, saying the death "makes no sense" just weeks after his marriage and their UEFA Nations League title with the national team.
"We will all miss you," the superstar forward wrote.
Portuguese football federation president Pedro Proenca said he was "devastated", calling Jota "an extraordinary person, respected by all his colleagues and opponents, someone blessed with an infectious joy and a reference for his own community".
"We have lost two champions. The death of Diogo and Andre Silva are irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything possible to honour their legacy everyday," Proenca wrote on social media.
He said they had asked UEFA for a minute's silence before Portugal's Women's Euro 2025 match against Spain in Switzerland on Thursday.
Liverpool said it was "devastated" by the "unimaginable loss" and that it would make no further comment for the privacy of the brothers' family, friends, teammates and club staff.
"We will continue to provide them with our full support," Liverpool added in a statement.
Liverpool fans had already begun laying flowers, scarves and other tributes at the club's Anfield stadium, British media reported.
HONOURED PORTUGAL'S NAME
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro described Jota as "an athlete who greatly honoured Portugal's name", expressing his condolences on "a sad day for football and for national and international sports".
Jota's former clubs Porto, Atletico Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers as well as the Premier League, the English FA and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed their shock and condolences.
Both players "will be commemorated not only for their footballing talent, but also for their personal and human qualities... football has lost two great men", Porto president Andre Villas-Boas said in a statement.
"We are heartbroken. Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him... the memories he created will never be forgotten," Wolves said.
"They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you!", Jota's international teammate Ruben Neves posted in an Instagram story.
Jota had married his partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, posting a video of their wedding on Instagram just hours before the accident.
They had three children.
Jota scored nine goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool cruised to their 20th Premier League title.
Capped 49 times by Portugal, Jota moved to England in 2017 joining Wolves.
His impressive form earned a £45 million ($62 million) move to Liverpool three years later where he quickly became a fans' favourite thanks to his goalscoring prowess.
Jota scored 65 times for the Reds in his five seasons at the club and lifted the League Cup and FA Cup in the 2021/22 season.
His younger brother Andre played as a midfielder for FC Penafiel in Portugal's second tier. — AFP
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