Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota died in a vehicle accident at the age of 28.
André Silva, the Portuguese sportsman’s 26-year-old brother and fellow professional soccer player, was also killed in the tragedy.
According to the BBC and Sky News, the event occurred near Zamora, Spain, and was reported by Spanish news agency EFE. Local police informed the BBC that Jota and his brother died at 12:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, July 3.
The Spanish Civil Guard informed The Associated Press that Jota and his brother were found dead after their car ran off the road and caught fire.
The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed Jota and his brother’s deaths in a press release on Thursday, saying they are “completely devastated.” Liverpool F.C. also posted a black-and-white photo of Jota on Instagram, with the caption, “Liverpool Football Club is devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.”
Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 3, 2025
The footballer died only days after marrying his long-term wife, Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children. The couple married on June 22, and Jota shared a video from their wedding on Instagram only hours before the disaster.
“A day we will never forget 🤍,” he captioned the image.
On June 28, his wife posted photographs of their wedding day with the comment, “June 22, 2025 • Yes to forever ♾️.”
The reason for the collision is being examined by authorities, according to the AP. Authorities stated no other cars were involved.
According to a statement from the Portuguese Football Federation, a “tragic accident” killed Diogo Jota and his brother in Zamora, Spain.
Dr. Pedro Proença, the federation’s president, also issued a statement, calling their deaths “an irreparable loss for Portuguese football.”
“The Portuguese Football Federation and the entire Portuguese football community are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva this morning in Spain,” according to a statement. “Much more than a fantastic player, with almost 50 caps for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all his teammates and opponents, someone with infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.”
“On my behalf and behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Jota, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players played, respectively,” according to the statement.
“We’ve lost two champs. The deaths of Diogo and André Silva are an irreparable loss for Portuguese football, and we will do everything possible to honor their memory every day.
The statement also stated that they have urged UEFA to observe a minute of silence before the Portuguese women’s team’s game in the Women’s European Championship on Thursday.
Jota celebrated winning the Premier League with Liverpool in May. According to Sky News, he signed for the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 2020 for $54 million.
He made over 50 appearances for the Portuguese national team, scoring 14 goals.