Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva on Thursday died in a car accident in Spain.
According to Spain’s Guardia Civil, the incident took place at 02:30am (01:30am WAT) on A-52 motorway in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora.
The agency said the Portuguese “car left the road and caught fire after a tyre burst while overtaking”.
Jota, who died at age 28, had married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children, less than two weeks ago.
His 26-year-old brother was a player of Penafiel, a Liga Portugal 2 side.
Both brothers played for Porto and the Portuguese side expressed “shock and deep regret” over the incident.
‘Porto is in mourning,” the club said. “It is with shock and deep regret that we send our most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who was also our youth player. May they rest in peace.”
The Portuguese football association, in a statement, added, The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are utterly devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva this morning in Spain.
“Far beyond being an exceptional player, with nearly 50 caps for the national team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with a contagious joy and a reference within his own community.
“On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and Andre Silva, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where the players, respectively, performed.
“We have lost two champions. The passing of Diogo and Andre Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything to honour their legacy daily.”
Jota’s recent achievement was winning the Premier League title with Liverpool, having already won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup with the club.
He moved to Anfield in 2020 from Wolves, a side he joined after a loan spell at his hometown Porto after he was unable to make a debut for Atletico Madrid, the club who bought him from Pacos de Ferreira academy in Portugal.
