By Omowumi Omotosho
Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, known globally as Diogo Jota, the 28‑year‑old Portuguese forward for Liverpool FC and the Portugal national team, has tragically died in a car crash in northwestern Spain.
The accident occurred on Wednesday midnight, on the A‑52 motorway near Cernadilla/Palacios de Sanabria in the Province of Zamora. The vehicle in which Jota was travelling went off the road, struck an embankment, and caught fire. Jota and his brother, 26‑year‑old André Jota, also a footballer, perished in the fire.
Emergency services, including the Zamora provincial fire brigade, Spanish traffic police, and medical teams, responded to 112 emergency calls but were unable to save the two occupants. Their bodies were severely burned, delaying official confirmation, although local authorities, citing investigative sources, have identified them as the Jota brothers.
Married just two weeks ago on June 22, 2025, to Rute Cardoso; the couple shared three young children. Diogo Jota had a celebrated football career: beginning at Paços de Ferreira, moving briefly to Atlético Madrid, then to Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He transferred to Liverpool in 2020 for a reported £41–45 million, becoming a key attacking figure for both club and country. He was part of Portugal’s victorious UEFA Nations League campaign in 2025 .
