Liverpool and Portugal forward, Diogo Jota, has died in a car accident at the age of 28.
The crash, which also claimed the life of his younger brother, Andre Silva, happened early Thursday morning in the Zamora region of Spain.
According to Spain’s Guardia Civil, the accident occurred around 12:30am local time when their Lamborghini suffered a tyre blowout while trying to overtake another vehicle. The car veered off the road and caught fire.
Andre Silva, aged 26, was also a professional footballer, playing for Penafiel, a club in Portugal’s second division.
Jota had recently married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, on June 22, and they have three children together. He had shared photos of their wedding on social media just days ago.
The talented forward was part of the Liverpool team that won the Premier League last season and also played for Portugal, helping them beat Spain in the Nations League final this June.
Jota joined Liverpool in 2020 from Wolves and quickly became a fan favourite with his goal-scoring skills and work rate.
Tributes from the football community are expected in the coming hours. Liverpool and Portugal FA are yet to release official statements.
