Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died in a car crash in Spain, aged 28.
The Portuguese player, who joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020, was involved in a traffic accident in Zamora, close to the border with Portugal.
Witnesses said that the car left the road and caught fire. Jota’s brother André, a 26-year-old professional footballer, also died in the accident.
Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children, just 10 days ago.
Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), said in a statement: “The FPF 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 caps for the national team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a role model.
“On my behalf, and on behalf of the FPF, 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, the brothers played.”
The i Paper has approached Liverpool for comment.
Spanish state-owned TV station Televisión Española reported that the traffic accident occurred at 12.40am on the RÃas Bajas Highway, near the municipality of Palacios de Sanabria, according to firefighters who attended the incident.
The fire spread to fields nearby before being extinguished. The scene was also attended by emergency health services and the Civil Guard.
Medical professionals confirmed the deaths of the two occupants of the car.
Jota first moved to England when he was signed by Wolves from Atletico Madrid in his early 20s. He initially joined on a season-long loan, scoring 17 goals in 44 games during the 2017-18 season to help Wolves win promotion to the Premier League as Championship champions.
The deal was made permanent for £12.8m and he was a key player establishing Wolves in the top-flight before Liverpool signed him.
Jota was signed by Jurgen Klopp for £41m in September 2020. He was part of the Liverpool team who went toe-to-toe with Manchester City in the Premier League title race. He went on to win the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup. He also won runners-up medals in the Champions League and EFL Cup.
He won the Uefa Nations League with Portugal in 2019 and 2025, scoring 14 times in 49 games for his country.
Jota was also a successful gamer and in 2021 was ranked top of the Champions Leaderboard in Fifa 21, the popular videogame. During the pandemic, the Premier League ran a competition in the game and Jota beat former team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold in the final.
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Gary Neville, the former Manchester United defender and pundit, said: “That is heartbreaking news on Diogo Jota and his brother. All my love and best wishes to his family.”
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