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On July 3, 2025, Diogo Jota, Liverpool’s 28‑year‑old Portuguese star, and his 25‑year‑old brother André lost their lives in a car crash in northern Spain.
They were driving a Lamborghini Huracán on the A‑52 near Cernadilla, trying to catch a ferry to England. Police say the car veered off during an overtake after a tyre blew out, caught fire, and both brothers died instantly on the scene.
This wasn’t just any loss. Jota had tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, on June 22 less than two weeks before. They shared three young children.
Now Rute is grieving, having identified his body at the scene, and is being offered psychological support.
A family man gone too soon
Diogo wasn’t just a top-flight footballer. He was a family man a husband and dad. He married Rute after years together.
According to Spanish Wikipedia, medical advice had stopped him flying after chest surgery, so he opted for a road‑ferry route from Portugal to Liverpool.
Before the crash, friends say he and Rute were celebrating. She posted memories from their wedding “A day we will never forget.” He replied, “But I'm the lucky one.” Her final Instagram post before the tragedy shows Delta flags fluttering at Anfield after Liverpool's title win .
Liverpool and Portugal in mourning
Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, said:
“My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother …” .
Ex‑manager Jürgen Klopp wrote simply,
“This is a moment where I struggle… The news of Diogo and his brother’s deaths breaks my heart. To being an amazing athlete, Diogo was also a wonderful friend, a devoted husband, and a father… You will be greatly missed by us.” .
Captain Virgil van Dijk, tight‑lipped and teary, promised Liverpool would care for Jota’s family. Mohamed Salah, Darwin Núñez, Jordan Henderson all were devastated.
Prime Minister Luis Montenegro of Portugal called it “a sad day for football and for national and international sport” .
Sports media say Swansea Academy founder Cãoimhin Kelleher Jota’s close friend posted a wedding photo and said Jota was “down‑to‑earth, competitive, fun‑loving family man.”
Funeral in Gondomar
On July 5, the funeral took place in Gondomar, Jota’s hometown near Porto. The wake was on July 4 . The funeral mass began at 10 a.m. at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar. It was a solemn scene.
Liverpool players including van Dijk and Andy Robertson arrived carrying flower wreaths shaped like their numbers (20 for Jota, 30 for André).
Portugal’s football stars Rúben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Renato Veiga, and others stood alongside, many visibly emotional. Their parents, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and PM Montenegro were also there .
A line of mourners stretched from the small chapel to the church entrance. Bells tolled. Outside, thousands applauded in silence. Flags around Anfield were at half‑mast, fans laid flowers, and club stores closed.
How did it happen?
At about 00:30–00:40 CEST on July 3, the brothers were overtaking another vehicle when one tyre blew out. The Lamborghini crashed, caught fire, and burned, also setting nearby bushes alight . Police are also investigating if speed played a role .
There were no other vehicles involved. They were reported missing after failing to reach Benavente, and later found at the scene.
Tributes roll in
Oasis paused their reunion concert in Cardiff on July 4 to play “Live Forever,” showing Jota’s image on stage .
Bayern Munich, via captain Joshua Kimmich, paid tribute before their Club World Cup match. Kimmich said,
“It shows just how fragile everything is… here we talk about football, the quarter‑final… but in times like these you realize what really counts.” .
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto, Jota’s former Wolves teammate, held up a shirt reading “Diogo and André” before kickoff in the Club World Cup, holding back tears .
Al‑Hilal’s minute of silence before playing Fluminense struck both Rúben Neves and João Cancelo emotionally .
Cristiano Ronaldo publicly said it “doesn’t make sense” .
The Premier League called it “shocking and devastating,” expressing “deepest sympathies to Diogo’s loved ones, Liverpool FC, supporters and friends” .
Football insight: what he meant on the pitch
Jota’s versatility was rare. He wasn’t just a winger or striker he could play across the front line, switch feet, and press like a midfielder.
He scored 65 goals in 182 games since signing from Wolves in 2020 and helped Liverpool win the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and was part of Portugal’s Nations League wins in 2019 and 2024‑25 .
His work rate, pace and clever movement made Liverpool strong on the break, and he gave Klopp extra options across the front .
Now Klopp’s side must move on without him and without his sheer unpredictability.
The ripple effect
Beyond trophies and tactics, his death is a human tragedy.
Liverpool FC said they’ll support Rute and the kids, continue paying his full contract (about £140k a week) until it ends in 2027 .
Fans are leaving flowers, scarves and jerseys of No. 20 at Anfield. Social media is filled with heartbreak and disbelief .
Portuguese youth, who once dreamed of copying his roots-from‑below style, are shaken. He played for Gondomar and Paços de Ferreira, and ran an academy back home
Footballers worldwide, Teammates, opponents, juniors all feel a sting. People keep asking: Why now?
Why this cuts deep
It’s not just a death. It’s that he’d just married. Had young kids. Had beat lung surgery. Was worried about flying. Was doing things life‑safe. And yet life still slipped away.
That’s real horror.
We usually watch football with some distance cheers, goals, rivalries. But this? It breaks through. He was one of us. A teammate. A dad. A friend. And now he’s gone.
Final words: remembering Diogo
There’s no silver lining here. No uplifting twist. This is raw loss.
But in the grief, you see love. You see unity. You see humanity.
At Anfield fans sang his name. In Gondomar, they did the same. From Liverpool to Lisbon to Cádiz, people paused and said: We miss him. We’re with you, Rute. We’re with you, family.
He left us far too soon. But maybe the best tribute isn’t trophies or chants. Maybe it’s how we care for each other, quicker and deeper because life’s that fragile.