picture of late Diogo and wife
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LIVERPOOL PLAYER DIOGO JOTA DIES IN CAR ACCIDENT JUST DAYS AFTER HIS WEDDING

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Liverpool player Diogo Jota has tragically passed away following a car crash in northern Spain at the age of 28, just days after marrying his childhood sweetheart.

Jota, a Portuguese international, is believed to have been traveling with his brother Andre, a fellow footballer aged 26, who also lost his life in the crash. The vehicle reportedly went off the road, collided, and then burst into flames.

Jota had recently wed Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, and in an interview released the day before his passing, he expressed that he felt like the "luckiest man in the world."

The accident occurred on the A-52 highway in the Zamora province, a major route for travelers leaving northern Portugal. Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash, with the 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room receiving multiple calls about a vehicle accident at Km. 65 in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. Reports indicated that the vehicle was on fire.

A statement from the authorities read, “The 1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) about the accident. A Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were dispatched, and confirmed the death of two individuals at the scene.”

The tragic news was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation, who expressed his deep sorrow: “The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva in Spain today. Diogo was not just an exceptional player, with nearly 50 international caps, but also an extraordinary person—beloved by teammates and opponents alike, someone who spread joy and was a beacon in the community.”

He continued, "On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I offer my deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and André, as well as to Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where they each played."

The Portuguese Football Federation has requested that a minute’s silence be observed ahead of Thursday's match between Portugal and Spain in the Women's European Championship.

The loss of Diogo and Andre Silva is an irreparable blow to Portuguese football, and the Federation has vowed to honor their legacy every day.

#UTVAfrica

Published on July 4, 2025
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