Portugal and Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, tragically passed away on Thursday following a fatal accident in Zamora, Spain. The devastating accident shocked the football world, with many expressing their grief over his sudden passing. The tragedy occurred just days after Jota’s wedding to his longtime partner Rute Cardoso.

Diogo Jota married his partner Rute Cardoso on June 22. (Instagram/@rutecfcardoso14)

In a heartbreaking turn of events, it was Jota’s wife, Rute, who was called to identify both bodies after the tragic accident. The police were unable to identify the two through their license plates, so Cardoso was called to confirm their identities.

According to reports in Portugal, Cardoso reportedly told police the brothers’ plans to spend the night in Benavente and then continue their journey on Thursday to Santander before taking a ferry to Portsmouth.

Jota’s wife was offered psychological support, and the personal effects recovered from the Lamborghini fire were entrusted to her care. The discovery of the accident was prompted by a relative of the brothers, who reported their failure to arrive in Benavente. A subsequent verification of their documentation confirmed their Portuguese citizenship.

Jota married his partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, posting a video of their wedding on Instagram a few hours before the accident. They have three children.

A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil in Zamora shared details of the incident.

The Guardia Civil officers are investigating the accident. We believe the car suffered an explosion due to the skid marks on the road. The full police report, once completed, will be presented to the Zamora court, which has launched an ongoing judicial investigation into the accident. The report will take time to prepare, probably four or five days, but possibly longer. It’s impossible to determine the exact speed of the car at this time, but the Guardia Civil investigators will be able to provide this information, at least approximately, in their final report, based on elements such as skid marks. What I can confirm is that no other vehicles were involved and no one else was injured,” he stated.

He has recently enjoyed great success with his club and country, helping Liverpool win the Premier League last season. He was also part of the Portuguese team that won the UEFA Nations League last month.