Diogo Jota, Star Soccer Player For Liverpool And Portugal, Dead At 28

MADRID, July 3 (Reuters) – Liverpool’s Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother died in a car crash in northwestern Spain early on Thursday, when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames, authorities said.

Evidence at the scene of the crash near the city of Zamora suggests Jota’s car suffered a burst tyre while overtaking, Spanish police said in a statement. The crash occurred around 00:30 a.m.

Jota, 28, had just married his partner of ten years in late June, with whom he had three children.

“It doesn’t make sense. We were only just in the national team together, you’d only just got married,” fellow Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo said on X.

Liverpool Football Club said it was devastated by the news of Jota’s death.

Fans began laying flowers in his memory at the team’s Anfield stadium. Jota arrived at Anfield in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Jota’s brother, who died alongside him, was also a footballer, with Penafiel in the Portuguese second division.

“We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day,” the Portuguese Football Federation said.

A minute’s silence will be observed at all of Thursday’s and Friday’s matches at the Women’s Euros taking place in Switzerland, UEFA said in a statement.

“The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honoured the name of Portugal, and his brother, is unexpected and tragic,” Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on X. “I offer my most sincere condolences to his family.”

Jota helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season, scoring the derby winner against Everton and also won the FA Cup in 2022 and League Cup in 2022 and 2024 with the Merseyside outfit.

Born in Porto, he began his career with local team Pacos de Ferreira before switching to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017.

“We are heartbroken. Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him during his time at Wolves,” the club said.

Pacos de Ferreira said in a statement that both brothers had left their mark on the small club located east of Porto.

“Diogo Jota became a reference for this club,” it said on social media. “An athlete with a champion’s attitude who reached the highest levels of professional football. His name is part of our history.”

He also made 49 appearances for Portugal, twice winning the UEFA Nations League.

“It is a remarkable achievement for a small guy that came from Gondomar, where I had this dream,” Jota said on Liverpool’s website of winning the Premier League. “It’s a moment I will cherish forever.”

(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, Martyn Herman and Catarina Demony; writing by Charlie Devereux, editing by Alexandra Hudson)