Diogo Jota, Portuguese footballer for Liverpool FC, died in a road accident on 3rd July, 2025, at the age of 28. His younger brother Andre Silva, travelling with him, was also killed in the accident.
Just 11 days after his wedding, Jota was returning to England for pre-season. Having recently undergone lung surgery, he was advised to avoid air travel, so he planned to go from Spain to England via ferry. On their way to the port, while trying to overtake another car they suffered a tyre blowout, veering off the road before fatally catching fire. The crash occurred at around 00:30 CEST.
Tributes poured in worldwide after the deaths were officially confirmed. Many of Jota’s Liverpool and Portugal teammates expressed shock over the news, reminiscing about their shared memories and recent success for club and country. Arne Slot, Liverpool head coach, remarked, “For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us.” Liverpool announced that they would pay his family the remaining amount of his contract, which ran until 2027. In their reunion performance on 4th July, British band Oasis paid tribute to Jota, with his picture appearing on screen when they performed ‘Live Forever’.
Born on 4th December 1996 in Porto, Portugal, Jota started his professional football journey with Paços de Ferreira in 2013, becoming the youngest player to score for the club in the Primeira Liga. After playing for various teams like FC Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, he was signed by Liverpool FC in 2020. At Liverpool, he helped the team win the cup double in 2022, clinching both the FA Cup and the EFL Cup, as well as winning the league in the 2024-25 season. He was also part of the squad that reached the UEFA Champions League Final in 2022, losing out to Real Madrid 1-0. For Portugal, Jota made his international debut in 2019, contributing to them winning the UEFA Nations League twice, in 2019 and 2025. The 2025 win over Spain was his final match as a football player. He also made appearances for Portugal at the 2021 and 2024 European Championships. Overall, he earned 49 caps for Portugal.
He is survived by his wife Rute Cardoso, their three children and the millions of fans whose hearts he touched.