Liverpool and Portugal footballer Diogo Jota, 28, has died in a tragic car crash in northern Spain, just two weeks after marrying his longtime partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three children.
His younger brother, André Silva, 26, also a footballer, is confirmed among the victims.
The Crash: What Happened?
According to Spanish emergency services, the crash occurred on the A-52 motorway in Cernadilla, Zamora, a route commonly used by travelers from northern Portugal.
Emergency responders received multiple calls about a burning vehicle at Km 65, and both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by medical units.
Final Instagram Post
Jota’s final social media post, made just 18 hours before news broke, was a video of his wedding to Cardoso, captioned:
“A day we will never forget.”
Earlier in the week, Jota had posted on X
“June 22, 2025. Yes, forever,”
accompanied by photos from the wedding ceremony.
In a recent interview, Jota called himself “the luckiest man in the world.”
The news was officially confirmed by Pedro Proenca, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, who stated:
“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.”
Tributes continue to pour in from fans, players, and clubs across the globe.
What was meant to be the start of a new life chapter ended in unthinkable tragedy—leaving behind a young family and a grieving football community.