Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota dies aged 28 in car crash in Spain

Our live coverage of Diogo Jota’s death has ended. Read his obituary or read through the posts below.

People leave flowers at a memorial near Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England on Thursday.

Two months ago, Diogo Jota won the Premier League with Liverpool. Less than two weeks ago, he married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.

Today, the soccer world is grieving after Jota and his brother, André Silva, died in a car crash early on Thursday morning in Spain.

Here’s what we know so far:

The accident occurred on the A-52 road in Zamora, northwestern Spain and was caused by a “burst tire while overtaking,” according to Spain’s Guardia Civil. The vehicle that Jota and his brother were left the road and subsequently caught fire, officials said.

The authorities identified the remains based on documents recovered at the scene of the accident, as well as the car’s license plate, CNN Portugal reported. Further forensic testing at a morgue in Zamora confirmed the brothers’ identities, CNN Portugal reported.

For investigation, the remains were moved to the nearby town of Puebla de Sanabria, a source close to the sub-delegate of the Spanish government in Zamora told CNN. The players’ family is now present in Puebla de Sanabria to finalize the administrative requirements which allow the remains to be released and returned to Portugal, CNN Portugal reported.

The 28-year-old forward Jota enjoyed five successful seasons with Liverpool, scoring 65 goals and winning three major trophies. Silva was also a professional soccer player, most recently with Futebol Clube de Penafiel in the Liga Portugal 2, the country’s second division.

Tributes from the soccer world and beyond have been flooding in throughout the day, including from the likes of Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, NBA legend LeBron James and the United Kingdom’s Prince William.

A wake is expected to take place Friday in the brothers’ hometown of São Cosme in Gondomar, Portugal, CNN Portugal reported.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has paid his respects to Diogo Jota and offered his condolences to the family of the Portugal forward and his brother, André Silva.

“What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not,” he wrote in a statement.

“All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about,” the Dutchman continued. “My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle and they belong to the family of Diogo and André Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.”

“My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone,” he added, referencing the club’s famous anthem.

Slot went on to remember his last conversation with Jota, writing: “The last time we spoke, I congratulated Diogo on winning the Nations League and wished him luck for his forthcoming wedding. In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this.”

He concluded by offering his condolences to Jota and André Silva’s family, and adding that the Anfield crowd would not forget what Jota has given to the club.

“When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song,” he wrote. “For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten.”

Liverpool FC, the club at which Diogo Jota spent the last five years of his soccer career, has opened physical and digital books of condolence for fans to leave messages of support and appreciation to the forward and his brother.

The physical book is already available at Anfield for supporters to sign, and will be open on Friday and throughout the weekend. The online book is also available to be signed on the club’s website.

Liverpool also confirmed that flags at Anfield are being flown at half-mast, and that the club’s stores, tours and museums will be closed until Monday. The club’s staff have also been offered emotional support.

The remains of Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, were moved on Thursday afternoon from the provincial capital of Zamora to the nearby town of Puebla de Sanabria, a source close to the sub-delegate of the Spanish government in Zamora told CNN.

An investigating magistrate at the local Court of First Instance and Investigation now has jurisdiction for the investigation, the source said.

The authorities identified the remains based on documents recovered at the scene of the accident, as well as the car’s license plate, CNN Portugal reported. Further forensic testing at a morgue in Zamora confirmed the brothers’ identities, CNN Portugal reported.

The players’ family is now in Puebla de Sanabria to finalize the administrative requirements so that the remains can be released and returned to Portugal, CNN Portugal reported.

The remains had been at the forensic examiner’s office from Thursday morning, after the accident, until about 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET), when they taken to the Puebla de Sanabria, the source close to the sub-delegate of the Spanish government in Zamora said.

A wake is expected to take place Friday in the brothers’ hometown of São Cosme in Gondomar, Portugal, CNN Portugal reported.

The site of the car accident in which Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother died in the north-western city of Zamora, Spain, on Thursday.

Tributes from around the world are pouring in following the death of Liverpool and Portugal soccer star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who died in a car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning.

If you’re just reading in now, here’s the latest:

The crash: The accident took place on the A-52 road in Cernadilla, Zamora, northwestern Spain in the early hours of the morning on Thursday. The vehicle the pair were traveling in left the road, and the crash was caused by a “burst tire while overtaking,” according to Spain’s Guardia Civil. The car subsequently caught fire, officials said.

The victims: The Guardia Civil confirmed that both Diogo and André died in the crash, but did not say who was driving.

The 28-year-old Jota was an attacker who played an important role in Liverpool’s recent Premier League title-winning season, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 26 appearances. He won three major trophies with the Reds and two UEFA Nations League titles with Portugal.

Silva was also a professional soccer player, most recently with Futebol Clube de Penafiel in the Liga Portugal 2, the country’s second division. He played as an attacking midfielder and forward, contributing two goals and five assists in the 2024/25 season as Penafiel finished in 11th place.

Tributes: Portuguese soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, NBA legend LeBron James and the United Kingdom’s Prince William are among those who have paid tribute to the deceased players.

Newlywed: Adding to the tragedy of the incident, Jota had married his partner Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, just 11 days before the accident.

Current and former Liverpool players have continued to pay tribute to Diogo Jota after the news of his and his brother’s deaths this morning.

Roberto Firmino, the Brazilian forward who spent three seasons playing alongside Jota in Liverpool’s famed frontline along with Mo Salah and Sadio Mané, offered condolences to his former teammate on Instagram.

“When words fail, there are only inexpressible groans,” he wrote. “And for that reason I get on my knees, praying that the Holy Spirit consoles the heart of Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda, Joaquim, Isabel and all your family and friends.

“It was a privilege and honor to have gotten to know you and experienced such special moments by your side. Rest in peace my brother Jota, and André.”

Dominik Szoboszlai, who played two seasons with Jota having joined Liverpool in 2023, wrote: “Words cannot describe how heartbroken and devastated we are… Your smile, your love for the game will never be forgotten.

“We will miss you so much, but you will stay with us forever, on and off the pitch. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family. Rest in peace, brother.”

He was joined by fellow Reds midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who also joined in 2023.

“I can’t believe it,” the Argentinian wrote on Instagram. “I will always remember your smiles, your outbursts of passion, your intelligence, your companionship and everything that made you a person. It hurts a lot, we will miss you. Rest in peace dear Diogo.”

Portugal's midfielder Bruno Fernandes and Portugal's forward Diogo Jota embrace after the UEFA Nations League semi-final football match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, Germany, on June 4.

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes, a former teammate of Jota’s with Portugal’s national team, joined the wider soccer community in paying tribute to the forward and his brother.

“Friend, teammate and companion of a thousand battles,” he wrote in a post on his Instagram Stories. “It is difficult to understand how it is possible that someone can leave so soon.

“May you and your brother find the peace you need to watch over your loved ones who have lost you too soon and suddenly. My condolences to all of your family.”

Fans of Liverpool wearing scarfs featuring Diogo Jota and carrying balloons which spell out "20" make their way to the Anfield as tributes are laid at the stadium on Thursday.

Diogo Jota scored 65 goals during his five years at Liverpool, but that is not the only reason why he is so well-loved.

The Portuguese forward also enjoyed a strong relationship with the Liverpool supporters, who will remember him for his playful antics and his willingness to reach out to young fans.

Four years ago, Jota contacted one fan who had been admitted to the hospital with a message of support.

“Hello, Liam. I believe you are not having an easy time right now, so I just wanted to get in touch to say you have the support of everyone at Liverpool, just as you have always supported us,” he said in a video sent to the fan’s father.

“Take care of yourself, and hopefully we will see you back at Anfield before too long.”

Following the final day of the 2024/25 season, with Liverpool having been crowned Premier League champion, Jota sent a video message to supporters attending BOSS Kids, an event organized for young fans to celebrate the historic season – much to the delight of those in attendance, who loudly cheered his appearance on screen.

The message was to say thank you for Jota’s song being voted the fans’ favorite chant sung at Anfield, and it is likely that it will get a rousing rendition at Liverpool’s first match of next season against Bournemouth on August 15.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on May 21, 2022.

Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish says “football is not important” in the face of such a “devastating loss” as he paid tribute to Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.

News of the death of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva has sent shockwaves through soccer, and through the brothers’ home country of Portugal.

“The country basically woke up in shock. The football world in Portugal woke up in shock,” Luis Pedro Ferreira, editor in chief of Portuguese sports newspaper A BOLA told CNN’s Amanda Davies.

Ferreira said that the platitudes pouring in for the 28-year-old soccer star are not overstatements.

“He was truly an expert, an inspiration and example,” Ferreira explained.

Usually, Ferreira explained, “unfortunately, if you don’t do your training in one of the big clubs.. you very little chance to reach the top. And he did that,” Ferreira said, adding that Jota, like many players in Portugal, came from a working class family.

“He had to make his way through the National League, through the national system, until he arrived.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he is “deeply saddened” by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.

“Aged just 28, Diogo had enjoyed a fantastic career to date and had many great years ahead of him, while his brother André was thriving at FC Penafiel,” he wrote in a statement on X. “They will both be so sorely missed by all those who knew them and by the worldwide football community.”

“May they rest in peace.”

Prince William says he is “deeply saddened” by the death of Diogo Jota and his brother.

“As part of the footballing family, I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother,” the Prince of Wales wrote on X. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew him @LFC @Wolves. W”

The site of the car crash in Zamora, Spain, is seen on Thursday.

The crash that killed Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva is being investigated as “a possible speeding incident,” a source from the Government Sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed to the PA news agency.

Spain’s Guardia Civil told CNN the crash was caused by a “burst tire while overtaking” in the early hours of Thursday morning. The vehicle – reported by Spanish media to have been a Lamborghini – caught fire following the accident, which occurred around 00:30 local time.

Jurgen Klopp embraces Diogo Jota during a match in 2022.

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who signed Diogo Jota for the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, has offered his condolences in a post on Instagram.

“This is a moment where I struggle!” wrote Klopp. “There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it!

“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother André,” he continued. “Diogo was (not only) a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much!

“All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute (Jota’s widow), the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace - Love J.”

During his time on Merseyside, Jota became one of Klopp’s most important attacking players. Despite joining one of the best frontlines in the world – Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino – the Portugal international managed to prove himself and scored 56 goals while playing under the German manager.

Raul Jimenez celebrates scoring a goal with Diogo Jota in 2019.

Mexico striker Raúl Jiménez, who spent two seasons between 2018 and 2020 as Jota’s strike partner at Wolverhampton Wanderers, also offered a tribute to his former teammate.

“It is difficult to receive this type of news and go on without being able to believe it,” Jiménez wrote in a post on his Instagram Stories. “An excellent teammate, friend and especially a great father. Thanks for everything my friend, we will always remember you. A hug towards the sky. Rest in peace.”

The site of the traffic accident where Portuguese Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother André died in Zamora, Spain, on Thursday.

The car crash: An accident which claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva was caused by a “burst tire while overtaking” in the early hours of the morning on Thursday, according to Spain’s Guardia Civil. The accident caused a fire, and both occupants of the car – reported by Spanish media to be a Lamborghini – died.

Where: The accident took place in Cernadilla, Zamora, northwestern Spain, at 00:30 a.m. local time.

Who: The Guardia Civil confirmed that both Diogo and André died in the crash, but did not say who was driving.

The 28-year-old Jota was an attacker who played an important role in Liverpool’s recent Premier League title-winning season, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 26 appearances. He won three major trophies with the Reds and two UEFA Nations League titles with Portugal. He was a father of three, and recently married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, a little under two weeks ago on June 22.

Like Jota, brother André Silva was also a professional soccer player, most recently with Futebol Clube de Penafiel in the Liga Portugal 2, the country’s second division. He played as an attacking midfielder and forward, contributing two goals and five assists in the 2024/25 season as Penafiel finished in 11th place.

André Silva of FC Penafiel in action during the Liga Portugal 2 match against CD Mafra at the Estadio do Parque Desportivo Municipal de Mafra on March 9, 2024.

Diogo Jota’s younger brother, André Silva, also died in the car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Like Jota, André was a professional soccer player, most recently with Futebol Clube de Penafiel in the Liga Portugal 2, the country’s second division. He played as an attacking midfielder and forward, contributing two goals and five assists in the 2024/25 season as Penafiel finished in 11th place.

The 25-year-old began his youth career with Gondomar in 2011, the same club Jota joined in 2009. André would go on to enjoy spells at various clubs, playing youth soccer at Porto, Padroense, Paços de Ferreira, Famalicão and Boavista. In total, he provided 12 goals and 10 assists in 105 matches.

This post has been updated to correct the age of André Silva.

Liverpool's Diogo Jota, left, celebrates with team mate Darwin Nunez after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Fulham, at Anfield stadium on December 14, 2024.

We’re starting to hear reaction from Diogo Jota’s former Liverpool teammates, with fellow forward Darwin Núñez one of the first to offer his condolences.

“There are no words of comfort for so much pain,” the Uruguayan wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of himself and Jota celebrating a goal together. “I will always remember you by your smile, as a good teammate on and off the pitch.

“I send all my strength to his family, wherever he is I am sure he will always be with you, especially to his wife and three children. RIP Diogo and André.”

Midfielder Stefan Bajčetić also paid tribute to Jota on Instagram, writing: “You will be remembered my friend.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers say they are “heartbroken” by the death of former player Diogo Jota, remembering him as “adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him during his time at Wolves.”

“The memories he created will never be forgotten,” the club posted on X.

“Our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Diogo and his brother, Andre,” it added. “You will be truly missed, and always remembered.”