Bernadette Soriano

In the quiet hours of Thursday, July 3, Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his 25-year old brother perished when their Lamborghini veered off a road on the A‑52 near Cernadilla in Zamora province, Spain, erupting into flames, an accident authorities attribute to a burst tire during an overtaking maneuver.


Just about two weeks after marrying his partner of ten years and fathering three children, Jota's life was cut short in what Spanish police described as a catastrophic mechanical failure at high velocity.

Cristiano Ronaldo, mourning on X, encapsulated the disbelief: “It doesn’t make sense. We were just in the national team together, and you had just gotten married.”

Liverpool, in a statement steeped in grief, declared themselves “devastated,” as Anfield transformed into a sea of flowers laid by supporters honoring the 28-year-old who delivered 65 goals in 182 games since arriving in 2020.

Beside him in the wreckage was his brother, also a professional footballer for second-division Portuguese side Penafiel, whose loss compounds the blow to both family and national sport.

Calling it an “irreparable loss,” the Portuguese Football Federation pledged to preserve the brothers’ legacy through continued tributes and remembrance.

UEFA announced all Women’s Euros fixtures on Thursday and Friday in Switzerland would begin with a minute’s silence, commemorating two lives lost too soon.

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro issued a statement of condolence, calling the news “unexpected and tragic” and extending sympathies to the grieving family.

Jota’s impact on Merseyside was decisive, scoring the derby winner against Everton in a title-winning Premier League campaign, while also collecting FA and League Cups in 2022 and again in 2024.

Having begun his career with modest Paços de Ferreira before rising through Wolverhampton Wanderers to Liverpool’s frontline, Jota embodied the trajectory of resilience and excellence.

Wolves mourned “a player adored by fans, loved by teammates, and cherished by staff,” a sentiment echoed by Paços de Ferreira, which described him as “a reference for this club” and an athlete who left a permanent imprint on their history.

Internationally, he donned the Portugal jersey 49 times, twice helping clinch the UEFA Nations League, becoming not just a player, but a symbol of national pride.

“I came from Gondomar with a dream,” Jota once reflected after winning the Premier League, “and now it’s a moment I’ll cherish forever”, a moment that, like his life, now lives in memory.