MADRID, July 3 (Reuters) – Liverpool’s Portuguese ahead Diogo Jota and his brother died in a automobile crash in northwestern Spain early on Thursday, when their Lamborghini veered off the street and burst into flames, authorities mentioned.
Proof on the scene of the crash close to town of Zamora suggests Jota’s automobile suffered a burst tyre whereas overtaking, Spanish police mentioned in a press release. The crash occurred round 00:30 a.m.
Jota, 28, had simply married his accomplice of ten years in late June, with whom he had three youngsters.
“It doesn’t make sense. We have been solely simply within the nationwide staff collectively, you’d solely simply obtained married,” fellow Portugal worldwide Cristiano Ronaldo mentioned on X.
Liverpool Soccer Membership mentioned it was devastated by the information of Jota’s loss of life.
Followers started laying flowers in his reminiscence on the staff’s Anfield stadium. Jota arrived at Anfield in 2020 and scored 65 objectives in 182 appearances for the membership in all competitions.
Maja Hitij – UEFA by way of Getty Pictures
Jota’s brother, who died alongside him, was additionally a footballer, with Penafiel within the Portuguese second division.
“We’ve misplaced two champions. Their deaths signify irreparable losses for Portuguese soccer, and we’ll do every little thing we will to honour their legacy each day,” the Portuguese Football Federation said.
A minute’s silence might be noticed in any respect of Thursday’s and Friday’s matches on the Girls’s Euros happening in Switzerland, UEFA mentioned in a press release.
“The information of the loss of life of Diogo Jota, an athlete who drastically honoured the title of Portugal, and his brother, is sudden and tragic,” Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro mentioned on X. “I supply my most honest condolences to his household.”
Peter Byrne – PA Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Jota helped Liverpool win the Premier League final season, scoring the derby winner in opposition to Everton and likewise received the FA Cup in 2022 and League Cup in 2022 and 2024 with the Merseyside outfit.
Born in Porto, he started his profession with native staff Pacos de Ferreira earlier than switching to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017.
“We’re heartbroken. Diogo was adored by our followers, beloved by his teammates and cherished by everybody who labored with him throughout his time at Wolves,” the membership mentioned.
Pacos de Ferreira mentioned in a press release that each brothers had left their mark on the small membership situated east of Porto.
“Diogo Jota grew to become a reference for this membership,” it mentioned on social media. “An athlete with a champion’s angle who reached the best ranges {of professional} soccer. His title is a part of our historical past.”
He additionally made 49 appearances for Portugal, twice profitable the UEFA Nations League.
“It’s a outstanding achievement for a small man that got here from Gondomar, the place I had this dream,” Jota mentioned on Liverpool’s web site of profitable the Premier League. “It’s a second I’ll cherish without end.”
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, Martyn Herman and Catarina Demony; writing by Charlie Devereux, modifying by Alexandra Hudson)
