Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva died in a high-speed car crash in northwestern Spain early Thursday morning, with Spanish authorities concluding that Jota was driving the vehicle when the fatal accident occurred.
The 28-year-old Portuguese international and his 25-year-old brother were killed when their vehicle, reported by Spanish media to be a Lamborghini Huracán, veered off the A-52 motorway near Cernadilla in Zamora province at approximately 12:30 a.m. local time. The car burst into flames after leaving the road, according to Spain’s Guardia Civil.
Spanish police said “all the evidence so far” indicates that Diogo Jota was behind the wheel at the time of the crash. Authorities also believe evidence points toward the vehicle “significantly exceeding the speed limit for the highway,” according to the investigation.
“In the absence of a conclusion of the experts’ evidence, everything points to a car leaving the road due to a tire blowout while overtaking,” the Guardia Civil said in an official statement. The police force confirmed that forensic analysis is ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the crash.
A source from the Government Sub-delegation in Zamora told the PA news agency that authorities are treating the incident as “a possible speeding incident,” though officials stressed that the investigation remains incomplete.
At this moment in time it is impossible to say at exactly what speed the car was going, but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks,” a Guardia Civil spokesperson told ABC News Australia.
The accident occurred on an isolated stretch of the Rias Bajas Highway, approximately an hour west of Zamora, as the brothers were reportedly traveling eastward toward Benavente. Video footage from Spanish media showed extensive tire marks veering off the road toward damaged guardrails.
Firefighters were called to the scene as flames from the vehicle spread to nearby vegetation. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, police confirmed.
“Among other things, the marks left by one of the vehicle’s wheels are being examined,” the Guardia Civil added in their statement, noting that the final report would be submitted to the Puebla de Sanabria court.
The tragedy came less than two weeks after Jota married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso on June 22. The couple have three children together, with their youngest born last year.
Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called the news “unexpected and tragic” in a statement posted on X. The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honored Portugal’s name, and his brother is unexpected and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to their family. It is a sad day for football and for national and international sports.
Liverpool Football Club released a statement saying they were “devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota,” requesting privacy for the families involved “as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.
Jota had been a key figure in Liverpool’s recent Premier League title-winning campaign, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 26 appearances. Since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 for £45 million, he made 182 appearances for the Merseyside club, scoring 65 goals.
What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw?” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said in a statement. “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.”
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who played alongside Jota in the national team’s recent Nations League triumph, expressed his disbelief on Instagram. “It doesn’t make any sense. We were just together with the national team, you had just gotten married,” Ronaldo wrote.
The Portuguese Football Federation described Jota as “an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with a contagious joy and a reference within his own community.” The 28-year-old earned 49 caps for his country, winning the UEFA Nations League in both 2019 and 2025.
André Silva, who played for Penafiel in Portugal’s second division, scored 12 goals and contributed 10 assists in 105 matches throughout his career at full and youth level.
Tributes poured in from across the sporting world, with fans laying flowers and scarves outside Liverpool’s Anfield stadium. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who signed Jota in 2020, said he was struggling to comprehend the loss.
The investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash continues, with authorities examining whether road conditions played any role. The Mirror reported that the stretch of road where the accident occurred has been criticized for potholes, though it remains unclear if this was a contributing factor.
Both bodies underwent forensic analysis at a morgue in Zamora before being moved to Puebla de Sanabria for the ongoing investigation. A funeral service was held Saturday in the brothers’ hometown of Gondomar, Portugal, attended by family, friends, and former teammates.
The tragedy has cast a shadow over Liverpool’s pre-season preparations, with players due to report back for training on Monday. The Premier League announced that a moment of silence would be observed at matches this weekend.
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Image Credit:
Diogo Jota, 2025 – Image by Arne Müseler / arne-mueseler.com, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons.
