Liverpool player Diogo Jota dies at 28

BarcelonaPortuguese Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota died in a traffic accident early this morning at around 12:40 a.m., aged 28. The accident occurred at kilometer 65 of the A-52 motorway, in the province of Zamora, near the town of Cernadilla, in the region of La Carballeda. Jota was traveling with his brother André, 26, also a professional footballer for Peñafiel, who also died. The Lamborghini car they were travelling in caught fire after the accident.

According to investigative sources, the vehicle suffered a punctured tire while overtaking. As a result of this accident, the car left the road and subsequently caught fire, along with the surrounding vegetation. Emergency services extinguished the fire and confirmed the deaths of the two young men at the scene.

Jota, one of the players on agent Jorge Mendes' extensive roster, was on vacation just days before starting preseason with Liverpool, another of the major European clubs that—like Barça—doesn't participate in the Club World Cup. The Portuguese forward was coming off a Premier League title, in which he made 26 appearances, six goals, and four assists. He wasn't a starter, but his contributions off the bench helped unlock matches and were very useful for Arne Slot, the manager. gridThe English club has already issued an announcement expressing its regret over the sad news. "Liverpool has been informed that the 28-year-old player [Diogo Jota] has died in a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, André [...] The club will have no further comment at this time and asks that the privacy of Diogo and André's family, friends, teammates and club staff be respected as they try to cope." Road.

Diogo Jota dies just 11 days after his wedding

For its part, the Portuguese Football Federation stated in a separate statement: "Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by his teammates and opponents, with an infectious joy and a role model for the community. We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and his brother André [...]. silence this Thursday at the women's national team match against Spain in the European Championship."

Jota had been playing for Liverpool since 2020, when he joined from Wolves, where he had performed very well for three seasons. In his best year in England, the 2017-18 season, he scored 17 goals. Previously, he had played for Porto and Paços de Ferreira, two elite teams in his country. In 2016, he signed for Atlético Madrid, but never made his debut for Atlético Madrid in a competitive match. He was an attacking player capable of playing on the wings and in midfield, and earned 49 caps for Portugal, with whom he played at the 2020 and 2024 European Championships.

The tragically missing footballer had been married to his partner for just 11 days, with whom he had been for 13 years and with whom he had three children.