Liverpool FC and Portugal ahead Diogo Jota and his brother, fellow soccer participant André Silva, died in a automobile crash early Thursday morning, Spanish authorities mentioned Thursday. Jota was 28, and Silva was 25.
The brothers have been discovered useless close to Zamora, Spain, the nation’s Civil Guard confirmed to the Related Press. Police are investigating the reason for the accident, which occurred simply after midnight when the Lamborghini the brothers have been driving in veered off the highway and burst into flames.
No different autos have been concerned and the brothers have been alone within the automobile, police mentioned. It’s unclear which brother was driving.
“We have lost two champions,” Portuguese Soccer Federation president Pedro Proença mentioned in an announcement. “The passing of Diogo and André Silva represents an irreparable loss for Portuguese football and we will do everything we can to honor their legacy every day.”
Soccer followers stand subsequent to tributes left Thursday at Anfield Stadium in reminiscence of Liverpool participant Diogo Jota.
(Ian Hodgson / Related Press)
Jota, whose full title was Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, was often called a medical finisher. Early in his skilled profession, Jota performed for such groups as Paços de Ferreira, Atlético Madrid and the Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He signed with Liverpool in 2020 and went on to attain 65 targets in 182 video games for the Reds. The group mentioned in an announcement that it’s “devastated” by Jota’s dying.
“Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss,” the staff wrote.
Lakers star LeBron James, a minority Liverpool proprietor, referenced the staff’s unofficial anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as he paid tribute to Jota on X.
“My prayers goes out to his loved ones during this time!” James wrote. “May you all be guided and protected! YNWA JOTA!!”
Jota performed almost 50 video games for Portugal as effectively. He made the 2022 World Cup squad, however was unable to play due to damage. Jota’s remaining match was Portugal’s 5-3 win in a penalty shoot-out over Spain within the Nations League remaining June 8. About two weeks later, Jota married Rute Cardoso, who was his childhood sweetheart and mom of their three younger youngsters.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Jota’s Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo wrote in Portuguese on X. “Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had gotten married. My condolences to your family, to your wife and to your children. I wish them all the strength in the world. I know that you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, left, celebrates with Portugal teammate Diogo Jota throughout a Euro 2020 qualifying match in Luxembourg in November 2019.
(Francisco Seco / Related Press)
Silva was a midfielder for the Liga Portugal 2 squad Penafiel.
A second of silence for the brothers shall be noticed in any respect UEFA Girls’s Euro 2025 matches on Thursday and Friday, together with the Spain-Portugal sport Thursday at midday PDT.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
