Liverpool forward Diogo Jota died in the early hours of Thursday, 3 July 2025, at the age of 28.
Diogo Jota dies: What’s the cause of death?
According to reports, Jota and his 25-year-old brother, Andre Silva, were both killed in a car accident in Spain. From what’s been confirmed, the crash happened at around 00:30 local time on the A-52 motorway in the town of Cernadilla, Zamora.
Officials believe the car they were travelling in left the road and caught fire after a tyre burst while they were overtaking another vehicle.
A statement from the Civil Guard in Zamora confirmed:
“A vehicle left the road and everything indicates a tyre burst while overtaking. As a result of the accident, the car caught fire and both people were killed.”
Both brothers died at the scene. Andre Silva was a professional footballer for Penafiel, a second-division club in Portugal.
Diogo Jota biography
Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, known professionally as Diogo Jota, was born on 4 December 1996. He started his professional football career with Paços de Ferreira before moving to Spanish club Atlético Madrid in 2016.
That same year, he was loaned out to Portuguese side FC Porto and later to England’s Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Jota helped Wolves earn promotion to the Premier League and signed with them permanently in 2018. He went on to make 131 appearances and score 44 goals for the club.
In 2020, he transferred to Liverpool for a reported £41 million. At Liverpool, Jota played 182 matches and scored 65 goals. He was part of the team that won the Premier League in the 2024–25 season, along with one FA Cup and two EFL Cups.
Internationally, Jota made his debut for Portugal’s senior team in November 2019. He represented the country in two European Championships (2020 and 2024) and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was also part of the national team that won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and again in 2025.
Off the field, Jota was married to his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso. The couple wed just two weeks before his death and had three children.
Reactions to Jota’s death
Liverpool Football Club issued a statement expressing deep sorrow:
“Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. We will continue to provide [his family] with our full support.”
Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, told Sky Sports News:
“I cannot believe it, it’s so sad and devastating for his family, his wife and three wonderful children… He came across as very quiet and humble, a real family man.”
He added that Jota had recently achieved major milestones, including winning the Premier League and getting married, describing the timing as “heartbreaking.”
Liverpool teammate Darwin Nunez paid tribute on Instagram:
“There are no words of comfort for so much pain. I will always remember you with your smile, as a good companion on and off the field.”
Tributes have poured in from fans, players, and clubs across the world, remembering Jota not only for his talent on the pitch but for his character off it.