Portuguese footballers Diogo Jota and his brother Andrea perish in car crash in Spain's Zamora province
Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota, a forward for British club Liverpool, died early Thursday in a car crash in Spain at the age of 28.
His brother Andre Silva, 25, a footballer at Portuguese club FC Penafiel, also died in the crash, which took place in the province of Zamora, bordering Portugal, according to a statement by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation.
Proenca expressed his "deep regret and immense pain."
Jota's death came less than a week after he and his longtime partner Rute Cardoso got married. Just hours before his death, the footballer posted on Instagram about the day “we will never forget.” The couple had three children.
Emergency services in the Zamora province said two men died after midnight in a crash near Palacios de Sanabria in northwestern Spain.
Authorities said the vehicle caught fire following the accident, and flames spread to nearby vegetation.
Spanish broadcaster RTVE reported that Jota's Lamborghini veered off the highway and an investigation into the cause is ongoing.
Jota joined Liverpool in 2020 from Wolverhampton Wanderers and became a fan favorite for his scoring instinct and versatility. He scored 65 goals for the club and helped the team win Premier League title in 2025.
He also played for Portugal's national team, where he helped them reach the quarterfinals in the Euro 2024 tournament.
