Liverpool star Diogo Jota dies in a car crash, aged 28

Liverpool star Diogo Jota has died in a car crash in a car crash in northern Spain, it has been confirmed – less than two weeks after the Portugal forward got married.

The Liverpool forward, who has been at Anfield since a £45m move from Wolves in 2020 and who helped Arne Slot’s side win the Premier League title in May, was travelling with his brother, Andre, who also died. The pair were travelling in a Lamborghini, which left the road due to a tyre blow-out while overtaking another vehicle and then caught fire.

Andre Silva, 26, was also a professional footballer, with Portuguese second-tier club Penafiel.

The Guardia Civil has told BBC Sport that Jota and his brother died at about 00:30 local time on Thursday.

The crash occurred on the A-52 in the province of Zamora, with the road in Spain a popular route for drivers travelling to Spain from northern Portugal.

Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash, announcing in a statement: ‘The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire.

‘1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident.

‘From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene,

The tragedy comes just after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto in an extravagant ceremony on June 22.

The couple have three children together.

On Monday, Rute shared more pictures from their wedding day and wrote: “My dream came true.” Jota commented: “I’m the lucky one.”

Tributes pour in for Diogo Jota

Portugal’s prime minister, Luis Montenegro, paid tribute to the 49-times capped Portugal international in a statement on social media: “The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honoured Portugal’s name, and his brother is unexpected and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to their family. It is a sad day for football and for national and international sports.”

Pedro Proença, the president of the Portuguese FA, wrote on social media: “The Portuguese football federation and the entire Portuguese football community are completely devastated by the death of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, this morning in Spain. Much more than a fantastic player, who played almost 50 matches for the national A team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all his teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.

“On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players played respectively.

Shortly afterwards, Liverpool FC released a short statement of their own.