Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died in a car accident at the age of 28, just two weeks after marrying his longtime partner and mother of his children, Rute Cardoso, NaijNaira can report.
Jota and his younger brother André Silva, also a footballer, were traveling in a Lamborghini when the crash happened on the A-52 highway in Zamora, northern Spain, according to the Daily Mail.
The sports car reportedly blew a tyre while overtaking, veered off the road, then exploded in flames on impact.
Emergency services in Castilla y León confirmed both men died at the scene.
“The 1-1-2 operations room received multiple calls reporting a car fire following a crash,” authorities stated, adding that medical units arrived promptly but were unable to save the victims.
The tragedy unfolded shortly after Jota publicly celebrated his wedding, calling himself “the luckiest man in the world” in an interview released just a day before his death.
Photos from the couple’s recent wedding in Portugal, where they stood with their three children, now circulate as haunting reminders of the devastating loss.
Jota had joined Liverpool from Wolves and was a key figure for both his club and the Portugal national team.
Pedro Proenca, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, confirmed the deaths and expressed heartbreak.
“More than a great player, Diogo was an extraordinary person with infectious joy,” he said. “Portuguese football has lost two champions.”
UEFA has agreed to hold a minute’s silence ahead of Portugal’s women’s match against Spain in memory of the brothers.
Article updated 4 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
