Liverpool forward and Portugal international Diogo Jota has tragically died in a car accident in Spain at the age of 28. The heartbreaking news was confirmed on Thursday by the Portugal national team in an official statement.
“The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are utterly devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva this morning in Spain,” the statement read.
As a mark of respect, the Federation has asked UEFA to observe a minute of silence before Portugal’s Women’s European Championship match against Spain.
The fatal crash reportedly occurred in the city of Zamora, in northwestern Spain, just days after Jota’s wedding. His brother, André Silva, 26, also lost his life in the incident. Jota is survived by his wife and their three children.
Zamora’s Provincial Council confirmed the tragic details:
“Two young people died in an accident on the A-52 (Palacios de Sanabria). The Rionegro del Puente Fire Station responded. The vehicle caught fire, and the flames spread to nearby vegetation. They were 28 and 26 years old. RIP.”
Born in Porto, Jota began his football career in the youth system of Paços de Ferreira, later joining Atlético Madrid in 2016. He then moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, where he rose to prominence before signing with Liverpool.
At Liverpool, Jota enjoyed his most successful years, winning the FA Cup, League Cup, and most recently, lifting the Premier League title in the 2024/25 season under manager Arne Slot.
Internationally, he was a vital part of the Portugal national team, playing a key role in their UEFA Nations League victories in 2019 and 2025.
His brother, André Silva, was also a professional footballer, playing for Penafiel in Portugal’s second division.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)