Virgil van Dijk makes pledge to Diogo Jota's family in touching tribute after his team-mate of half a decade died - and says his 'heart is breaking'
The Liverpool captain released a moving statement saying he was 'absolutely devastated and in total disbelief' to lose his team-mate of five years.
Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 26, died in the early hours of Thursday morning after the Lamborghini they were driving in careened off a road in northern Spain after a tyre blew out.
The Portuguese star had been travelling to Santander to catch a ferry back to England ahead of pre-season, having been advised not to fly following lung surgery.
His death, which cast clouds of sorrow over the footballing world, came just two weeks after he married his girlfriend and mother of their three kids Rute Cardoso in Porto, his home city.
Van Dijk wrote on Instagram: 'Man, I can't believe it, I don't wanna believe it. Absolutely devastated and in total disbelief.
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Virgil van Dijk has penned a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota after his team-mate's death
'What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man.
'You meant so much to all of us and you always will! For your family to lose two sons, a husband and a father is just unimaginable. So cruel and unfair.
'My heart is breaking for all of your beautiful family, for Rute and for your kids. I promise you that in these difficult times and beyond we will always be there for your family.
'A champion forever, number 20 forever. It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it.
'We will miss you beyond words and never forget you. Your legacy will live on, we will make sure of it!
'Rest in perfect peace Diogo & Andre.'
Van Dijk was one of Jota's most frequent team-mates throughout his career - they played together 130 times for Liverpool.
They first linked up in 2020 after Jota signed from Wolves and went on to experience the highs and lows of elite football together.
There were immense highs: a Premier League triumph, FA Cup glory, two Carabao Cups lifted.
And the pair also had to endure defeat in the 2022 Champions League final to Real Madrid - an experience which only strengthened their bond.
Like Van Dijk, the football world was left in disbelief when the news broke that Jota and his brother Andre had passed away.
The brothers were driving eastward along an isolated stretch of highway, about an hour west of Zamora, when the accident took place.
Their Lamborghini came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames at around 12.35am, also igniting the surrounding vegetation. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved. Police say they don't yet know who was driving.
Spanish government official Ángel Blanco said the siblings died at the scene.
Liverpool are due to start pre-season training on Monday, so Jota was heading back to the UK on a road trip with his brother.
Doctors reportedly advised the Liverpool star not to catch a plane after a recent operation, so he was getting a boat instead. A Brittany Ferries service from Santander to Plymouth left at 4pm on Thursday, arriving in Devon at 11.15am on Friday.
Lines can be seen on the road today where the Lamborghini overtook a car and then straight into the crash barriers
CNN Portugal's sports editor Rui Loura said today live on air: 'The surgery he had was lung surgery and he had been advised against flying following this.
'He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross by ferry and reach the UK that way and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother.'
Another Portuguese journalist, Victor Pinto told the country's CMTV channel: 'Diogo sometimes chose to travel by road because he had some pulmonary discomfort, nothing serious, and as we know, there is a ferry boat that connects the south of England to Spain'.
Tributes poured in for a talented star who has been widely remembered for his humility, humour, and care for his family.
One of the most moving came from Andy Robertson, who wrote: 'The ones I'm thinking about most right now are the family. Their loss is too much to bear. I'm so sorry that they have lost two such precious souls – Diogo and Andre.
'For the team and the Club, we'll try to cope with this together… however long that takes. For me, I want to talk about my mate. My buddy. The bloke I loved and will miss like crazy.
'I could talk about him as a player for hours, but none of that feels like it matters right now. It's the man. The person. He was such a good guy. The best. So genuine. Just normal and real.
'Full of love for the people he cared about. Full of fun. He was the most British foreign player I've ever met. We used to joke he was really Irish… I'd try to claim him as Scottish, obviously. I even called him Diogo MacJota.
We'd watch the darts together, enjoy the horse racing. Going to Cheltenham this season was a highlight - one of the best we had. The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family.
'I can't believe we're saying goodbye. It's too soon, and it hurts so much. But thank you for being in my life, mate – and for making it better. Love you, Diogo.'
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