In the early hours of 3 July 2025, the football world was shaken to its core. Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, known to fans simply as Diogo Jota, a 28‑year‑old forward for Liverpool and Portugal, perished in a fiery single‑vehicle crash on the A‑52 motorway near Zamora, Spain, alongside his 26‑year‑old brother, André Silva, a professional player for Portuguese side Penafiel.
According to the Guardia Civil and emergency services, the brothers were overtaking when a tyre reportedly burst, causing their Lamborghini to veer off the road, ignite, and burst into flames. The fire erupted instantly, and medical responders confirmed both men dead at the scene—Diogo, only weeks after marrying his long‑time partner, Rute Cardoso, and fathering three young children.
The fateful crash occurred near Cernadilla, at kilometre 65 of the A‑52, around 00:30–00:40 local time on 3 July 2025. Reports confirm the vehicle’s tyre burst caused the loss of control, leading to a path off the road and immediate combustion. Fire crews, paramedics, and police arrived within minutes; there were no survivors.
The brothers had been travelling from Penafiel, Portugal. Spanish emergency services and the Zamora provincial fire brigades responded swiftly, though they noted the accident was “tragic and swift”
Portuguese authorities, football federations, and colleagues expressed shock. Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and federation chief Pedro Proença lamented the profound loss to national and international football. Liverpool, Wolves, and Porto are bearing the weight of collective grief.
Diogo Jota Rise To A Premier League Champion
Born 4 December 1996 in Porto, Portugal, Jota began his football path at Gondomar before rising through Paços de Ferreira’s ranks (2013–2015). His senior debut came in 2014, ending his time there with 14 goals in 41 league matches
Jota’s potential earned him a move to Atlético Madrid in March 2016, though he never featured in La Liga. Instead, he spent the 2016–17 season on loan at FC Porto, notching up eight goals in 27 league outings and making his Champions League mark with a hat‑trick under his belt.
In 2017, he arrived in England on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers. His impact was instant: 17 goals in 44 Championship games propelled Wolves to Premier League promotion. The club made his move permanent in 2018. Over two Premier League seasons, he scored 16 goals in 67 appearances, cementing his reputation in England.
Liverpool activated his release clause in September 2020 (around £41 m). Over five seasons, Jota featured in 182 matches, notching 65 goals across all competitions
Internationally, he progressed from Portugal’s youth teams (U19, U21, U23) to the senior squad in November 2019. The 2020 and 2024 European Championships, the 2022 World Cup, and two UEFA Nations League titles (2019 and 2025) showcased his rising stature, with 49 caps and 14 goals for his country.
Diogo Jota Crowning Achievements
Diogo Jota’s trophy cabinet includes:
- EFL Championship (Wolves, 2017–18)
- Premier League (Liverpool, 2024–25)
- FA Cup (Liverpool, 2021–22)
- League Cup (Liverpool, 2021–22 & 2023–24)
- UEFA Nations League (Portugal, 2019 & 2025)
A Legacy Beyond the Pitch
Jota was more than his statistics. At Liverpool, teammates lauded him for warmth, humour, and work ethic, traits that made him beloved both in the dressing room and among fans. Off the field, he married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, on 22 June 2025, and celebrated the birth of three children, foundational pillars of his life
Tributes have poured in globally. Portugal’s president and football chiefs described him as “an extraordinary person” with “infectious joy.” Figures like Gary Neville and clubs such as FC Porto echoed the sentiment, calling the loss “heartbreaking”
UEFA has requested a minute of silence before Portugal’s women’s European Championship match—a modest gesture for an immense loss
Diogo Jota lit up stadiums with a style defined by timing, pace, and killer instinct. Whether ghosting past defenders or unleashing precise finishes, his versatility and grit made him vital to Liverpool’s resurgence under both Klopp and Slot. In Portugal’s red, he combined flair and fight, becoming a national treasure.
At a time when his star was still rising, fresh from Premier League glory and future Euros dreams, this moment’s gravity is staggering. A career transmuted in an instant.
While football mourns one of its brightest talents, a family endures a heartbreak no victory can offset. Diogo Jota’s story now resonates beyond goals and trophies, immortalised in memory, sombre yet shining. His legacy lives in stadium chants, Liverpool lore, and Portugal’s national pride.
May his spirit continue to inspire grand performances on grass, where stadium lights flicker like stars, and remind us how fragile dreams can be.
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