Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota posted a loving message to his wife Rute Cardoso just days before he was found dead in a car accident in Spain. The tragic news emerged in the early hours of Thursday, when emergency services in northern Spain discovered Jota and his 26-year-old brother, André, who was also killed in the accident. Jota’s untimely death shocked the world, compounded by the fact that it occurred just 10 days after his wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Cardoso.
After they married, Jota’s last public message to his wife appears to have been an expression of his love for her following their wedding in Porto. Two days ago, Jota left a comment on Instagram in response to his wife’s post, which said “my dream came true” after their wedding. The 28-year-old wrote: “But I’m the lucky one.” The accident occurred on the A-52 in the province of Zamora, a key route for those leaving northern Portugal.
Emergency services in the Castile and León region confirmed the accident: “The Castile and León 1-1-2 operations room received several calls reporting a traffic accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and was on fire. 1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Department, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center. An Emergency Medical Unit (UME) and Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were dispatched, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene.”
Jota’s death was confirmed by Pedro Proença, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, who stated: “The Portuguese Football Federation and the entire Portuguese football community are devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, which occurred this morning in Spain. Besides being an extraordinary player, with nearly 50 appearances for the national team, Diogo was an exceptional person, respected by teammates and opponents, with a contagious joy and a role model for the community.”
In a statement, Liverpool said they were “devastated” by Jota’s sudden death. Fans gathered at Anfield on Thursday morning to lay flowers and messages in his honor, as the football world mourned. The Reds wrote on Instagram: “Liverpool Football Club is devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club has been informed that the 28-year-old passed away following a car accident in Spain alongside his brother André. We will not be making any further comment at this time and ask that the privacy of his family, friends, teammates, and staff be respected as they cope with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to offer them our full support.”
Jota and Rute married on June 22, sharing their “I do forever” on social media. They leave behind three children. Jota’s career began at Pacos de Ferreira before moving to Atlético Madrid in 2016, with loan spells at Porto and Wolves, before finally joining Liverpool for £41 million in 2018, where he surpassed 100 appearances and won the Premier League title last season.
