Liverpool star Diogo Jota dies in car crash aged 28

Yahoo

03-07-2025

Soccer star Diogo Jota has died in a car crash aged 28. The Liverpool and Portugal forward has passed away following an accident in Spain on Thursday morning (03.07.25). Jota was travelling in a car with his brother Andre - a 26-year-old soccer player for Pennafiel, a Portuguese second division club - when their vehicle went off the road in the province of Zamora, in western Spain. Andre was also killed in the crash on the Rias Bajas Highway near Palacios de Sanabria. The Guardia Civil has confirmed to the BBC that their car, a Lamborghini, suffered a tyre blow-out while overtaking another vehicle and then caught fire. Jota married Rute Cardoso, his long-term girlfriend, just two weeks ago, and he posted photos from their wedding day on social media. Alongside a series of photos from their wedding day, Jota - who had three children - wrote on X: "June 22, 2025. Yes to forever." Prior to that, Jota admitted that he'd surpassed his own expectations in his soccer career. The sports star - who began his career in Portugal, before moving to England in 2017 - never imagined that he'd reach the top of the game. He told Sky Sports earlier this year: "This hunger has been with me ever since I can remember. In my youth, growing up, I never played for the big teams. I had a few team-mates who went to Porto or Benfica. I had trials there but I never stayed. I was one of the better ones but never the best. "From the moment that I had that opportunity, I never dropped it again. I think when we are young we always believe. But I probably did not believe that I could reach Liverpool. I just took it day by day." Jota signed for Liverpool in September 2020, and he helped the Reds to win their 20th league title earlier this year. The forward also won 49 caps for the Portuguese national team, scoring 14 goals. Jota appeared as a substitute in Portugal's Nations League triumph over Spain on June 8.