Liverpool forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash aged 28
According to reports in Spain, the two men died after a car in which they were travelling crashed in Zamora, Spain.
'The Portuguese Football Federation and the entire Portuguese football community are devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva in Spain this morning,' a statement read.
'Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his team-mates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community.
'On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players.
'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 accident came less than two weeks after Jota married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso. The couple have three children together.
Jota had 49 caps for Portugal, scoring 14 international goals, and last month won the Nations League for a second time.
He signed for Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club, with nine of those goals coming last season as Arne Slot's side won the Premier League title.
Jota also lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup with Liverpool, and was a Champions League runner-up in 2022.
Jota first came to English football when he joined Wolves in the summer of 2017, initially on loan from Atletico Madrid before the deal was made permanent the following summer.
Jota helped Wolves earn promotion as Championship winners in his first season, and in all scored 44 goals in 131 appearances before joining Liverpool in a deal worth a reported £41million plus add ons.
He began his career with Pacos de Ferreira in his native Portugal before earning a move to Atletico Madrid as a 19-year-old.
However, he never played for the LaLiga club, first joining Porto on loan before moving to Molineux where he played under his compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo.
A statement from Porto said: 'Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks. Rest in peace.'
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Scottish Sun
20 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
‘A loved one to all of us' – Arne Slot pays emotional tribute to Diogo Jota after Liverpool star's tragic death
ARNE SLOT has paid an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota following the tragic news of the Liverpool star's death. Jota died in a car accident on Thursday while driving through Zamora, Spain with his younger brother, Andre Silva. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Arne Slot has paid a heartfelt tribute after Diogo Jota's tragic passing Credit: AFP 3 The Liverpool boss described Jota as someone who was 'loved by all' Credit: Getty 3 Jota, 28, was killed in a car accident in Spain alongside his younger brother, Andre Silva Credit: Instagram Tributes poured in from across the world of sport, not just football. His club described the loss of the 28-year-old as "devastating". Manager Slot has now penned his own heartfelt tribute for the Portuguese footballer, saying he was "loved by all". In a tribute shared on Liverpool's website, Slot, 46, said: "What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not. "All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about. "My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss. "My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football. "This is not solely a response to tragedy. It is also a reaction to the goodness of the people involved and the respect that so many have for the boys as individuals and for the family as a whole. "For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special." Slot went on to praise Jota's humble nature, never seeking popularity but finding it, and befriending everyone as someone who made others feel good about themselves. The Dutchman also highlighted the late attacker's hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, and goals as a player. He then revealed his final conversation with Jota was to congratulate him for Portugal's victory in the Uefa Nations League and wishing him luck for his wedding. Dad-of-three Jota had married his high school sweetheart Rute Cardoso just 10 days before his heartbreaking passing. Slot continued: "When I first came to the club, one of the first songs I got to know was the one that our fans sing for Diogo. "I had not worked with him previously but I knew straight away that if the Liverpool supporters, who have seen so many great players over the years, had such a unique chant for Diogo, he must have special qualities. "That we have lost those qualities in such terrible circumstances is something we have not yet come to terms with. "For this reason, we need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves." Slot rounded out his tribute by paying his respects to Jota's family and declaring that he will never be forgotten. He added: "My condolences go to Diogo's wife, Rute, their three beautiful children and to the parents of Diogo and Andre Silva. "When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song. "For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten. His name is Diogo." THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Telegraph
21 minutes ago
- Telegraph
‘Diogo will live in perpetuity now' - sense of grief at Anfield will not subside for years
The eternal flame at Anfield is a permanent, sobering reminder that for all Liverpool 's triumphs, tragedy has a habit of shadowing the club like the cruellest of imposters. Appropriately and poignantly, it was at the Hillsborough Memorial shortly after 9.30am when the first mourners paid their respects to their idol Diogo Jota, a day which began with supporters praying news of his fatal car accident was a sick social media rumour rapidly turning to one of incomprehension and heartbreak. By mid-afternoon, the expanding collection of bouquets prompted club stewards to relocate tributes, a temporary barrier erected as a steady flow of the sorrowful bowed before an impromptu shrine, yards from a mural immortalising another of Liverpool's great goalscorers, Ian Rush. It is the image of the young Portuguese striker celebrating in front of the Kop that lives in perpetuity now. When processing the grim bulletins from Spain, some immediately spoke of retiring Jota's number 20 jersey. One can imagine they will never allow another Liverpool fixture to pass without chanting his name. The lingering vision of Jota will be that of his final appearance in the stadium in May, joyously accepting the applause as he danced with the Premier League trophy. 'Forever a champion,' read one of the more prominent messages on freshly wrapped flowers. 'No words,' said another, echoing the universal sense of disbelief. The tapestry of colours was not only those of Liverpool's jerseys. Everton, Manchester United and Rangers supporters naturally expressed their solidarity, football tribalism non-existent in the immediate aftermath of trauma. Several Wolverhampton Wanderers fans laid a wreath, Jota having established his Premier League reputation at Molineux, before a Newcastle supporter gifted a half-and-half scarf which had been a cherished souvenir from the recent historic Carabao Cup victory. In such terrible circumstances, the smallest of sacrifices become the grandest of gestures. 'I live in Liverpool, but I have been a Newcastle fan all my life,' explained Frank Chialton, 67. 'It felt right to be here to show respect. He was such a great player.' Others immediately headed to Anfield on behalf of loved ones grieving millions of miles away, the global impact of Jota's death as profound as of any elite sportsman at their peak in living memory. 'I have friends and family in Melbourne who are big Liverpool supporters and they could not believe the news this morning,' said Gail Williams. 'They actually used to live in the houses right here, just across from the Main Stand. They called an hour ago and asked if something could be left on their behalf. None of us can believe what has happened.' The connection between football and spirituality is never so conspicuous than in bereavement, supporters flocking to their place of worship. On a matchday, this particular area of Anfield reverberates with excitable pre-match chatter and clamouring feet scampering towards a turnstile. On Thursday, hundreds of mourners could be seen from a distance, steadily making their way across Stanley Park to join the eerie silence, their steps as heavy as their hearts. After leaving each token of respect, many located a quiet spot for further reflection, some alone, others with partners, sons and daughters, staring into the distance, plenty admitting they were contemplating those deeper questions after such chilling events like 'how?' and 'why?' 'I was working my ambulance shift this morning when I heard the news,' said Paul Gamble, who lives and works around Anfield. 'I was absolutely shocked. Obviously in my line of work you get used to hearing about accidents and such, but - I don't know - when you hear it is a top player. I can't explain, really, but for some reason, you just don't believe it, do you? 'It puts life into perspective. I mean, I don't really want to talk about the football side of Diogo. All I can think about today is his family, his wife, his children. And for his parents to lose two sons in that way. Two young lads. It is just absolutely devastating. 'When someone dies, especially as young as 28, everyone feels it, and because of our love for the club it does feel like we have all lost a member of our family. That's why we all come here. It feels right to come to Anfield today. We all have the same emotions. 'It's a small thing, I know, but we want to be around each other and friends. I laid a scarf for Diogo on behalf of myself and my daughter.' Nearby, a father and son sat looking visibly shaken, the youngster close to tears when asked to share his memories of Jota's numerous match-winning contributions so fundamental to a golden Anfied era. 'I woke up to the news and I could not believe it. I'm trying to process it,' said Matt Tomlinson, 20. 'You can't help but think about life; and the unfairness of it,' said his father, Vinny. 'This was a lad in the prime of his life, just married, and then it has been taken away from him just like that. 'I have been going to the Kop since 1978. This feels like such a personal loss. I know it shouldn't. We think of these young men as remote, highly paid footballers. But there is a collective spirit within a football club, a solidarity between us as supporters and those players we come to love so much. For Diogo to have lost his life this way. It is just wrong, isn't it? 'This club just echoes our life. None of us can escape tragedy in life at some point, can we? We spend our lives seeking out the good times and the successes. But you always know there is sadness around the corner, and we've had to suffer so much of it in our love for this club. 'I wanted to say thank you, as much as anything else. 'That's what our message said: Thank you, Diogo, for everything you did. Because you are a massive contributor to some of the greatest of times for this football club. What you did means so much to us all and it always will.' In the shadow of the Kop end, another poignant message was placed at the feet of the Bill Shankly Statue. 'Rip Diogo Jota. You are not alone,' it read.
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- The Sun
‘A loved one to all of us' – Arne Slot pays emotional tribute to Diogo Jota after Liverpool star's tragic death
ARNE SLOT has paid an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota following the tragic news of the Liverpool star's death. Jota died in a car accident on Thursday while driving through Zamora, Spain with his younger brother, Andre Silva. 3 3 Tributes poured in from across the world of sport, not just football. His club described the loss of the 28-year-old as "devastating". Manager Slot has now penned his own heartfelt tribute for the Portuguese footballer, saying he was "loved by all". In a tribute shared on Liverpool's website, Slot, 46, said: "What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not. "All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about. "My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and Andre Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss. "My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football. "This is not solely a response to tragedy. It is also a reaction to the goodness of the people involved and the respect that so many have for the boys as individuals and for the family as a whole. "For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special." Slot went on to praise Jota's humble nature, never seeking popularity but finding it, and befriending everyone as someone who made others feel good about themselves. The Dutchman also highlighted the late attacker's hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, and goals as a player. He then revealed his final conversation with Jota was to congratulate him for Portugal's victory in the Uefa Nations League and wishing him luck for his wedding. Dad-of-three Jota had married his just 10 days before his heartbreaking passing. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
