Diogo Jota, the Portugal international and Liverpool forward, has died at the age of 28 following a tragic car accident in Spain, according to multiple reports.
The crash occurred in the early hours of Thursday, 3 July, on the A-52 near Palacios de Sanabria, in the province of Zamora, northwestern Spain. Jota was reportedly travelling with his younger brother, André, 26, when their vehicle veered off the road and caught fire. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Zamora’s Provincial Council confirmed the incident, stating: “Two young people die in an accident on the A-52 (Palacios de Sanabria). The vehicle caught fire, and the flames spread to the surrounding vegetation. They were 28 and 26 years old. RIP.”
Emergency services, including the fire brigade, medical units from the Mombuey health centre, and Civil Guard traffic officers, were dispatched after multiple emergency calls. However, both occupants of the car had already succumbed to their injuries.
The devastating news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, in Porto. The couple had recently celebrated their wedding with their three children, sharing photos of their family on social media.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 for a reported £41 million. During his time at Anfield, he scored 65 goals and provided 26 assists in 182 appearances, helping the club to two Premier League titles.
His brother, André, was also a professional footballer, playing for Portuguese second-tier side Penafiel.