Retracing Diogo Jota's tragic journey shows road plagued with hazards from shut lanes to wild deer ready to leap out
The Sun retraced the
9
The Scene of the car crash on the A52 highway outside Puebla de Sanabria, Spain,
Credit: Darren Fletcher
9
Wreckage of the £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan at the tragic crash site
Credit: Getty
9
Liverpool FC star Jota, 28, died alongside his brother André, 25
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
9
And we encountered two adult deer standing on a side road less than half a mile from the spot where the Liverpool ace's Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames.
What we know so far
:
Diogo Jota has
The footie star's funerals
Devastated Arne Slot says
Liverpool ace's
Trent Alexander-Arnold pays respect to Jota as
Jota only got
Heartbroken Cristiano Ronaldo says
Notorious road where tragic Jota died
Jota was one of
Jota was driving with his younger brother Andre in a hired £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan supercar from Portugal to the northern Spanish port of Santander.
more on Jota's tragic death
But as soon as he crossed the border, his progress would have been slowed by at least 10 miles of road works.
His acid green Lamorghini left the highway a few minutes' drive after the end of a section of roadworks at 12.40pm local time on Thursday (11.40pm on Wednesday in the UK).
The
Spanish Guardia Civil investigators believe a tyre blowout could account for its fatal change of direction.
Most read in Football
But deer could have also triggered a sudden swerve and are a constant hazard throughout this wild, forested region - as attested by warning signs along the route.
Spanish police said they were not actively considering the involvement of wild animals in the smash yesterday, but did not rule out the possibility.
'Heartbroken' Ronaldo leads tributes to Diogo Jota as football mourns Liverpool & Portugal star
Other animal hazards reported to have caused accidents in the area have included Iberian wolves roaming the carriageway and flocks of crows.
The Sun has also found that the stretch of the A-52 motorway where tragedy struck has generated more than 40 complaints about the poor condition of the road in just one month last year.
Potholes were worse on the Sanabria section, near the 65km marker point - the exact spot where the Jota car crashed.
A string of complaints to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, responsible for maintaining the road, triggered urgent roadworks.
And at least one of the complaints was said to relate to a "damage accident" involving a private vehicle in which a Spanish family was travelling, three miles from the Jota smash.
Spanish police were continuing to investigate the cause of the fatal crash last night after taking away the unrecognisable remains of the burned-out sports car.
9
Sun Man Nick Parker at The Scene of the car crash on the A52 highway outside Puebla de Sanabria, Spain
Credit: Darren Fletcher
9
Rute Cardoso and Diogo Jota got married on June 22
9
Two hearses from Portugal arrive at the funeral home in the Spanish town of Puebla de Sanabria
Credit: AFP
9
Jota pictured with Cristiano Ronaldo while playing for Portugal
Credit: Getty
It comes as
Jota's grieving wife was consoled by relatives amid emotional scenes at his funeral chapel today.
Rute Cardoso - who married the Liverpool ace just 11 days earlier - arrived at Sao Cosme Chapel in his home town of Gondomar near Porto, northern Portugal, early this morning.
Local priest Jose Manuel Macedo initially announced the ceremonies would take place at 4pm on Friday before confirming they had been put back to Saturday morning.
Father Macedo said a wake would take place at Sao Cosme Chapel before the funeral mass on Saturday morning at the Catholic church next door - the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.
Diogo Jota began his footballing career at a club in Gondomar and is also thought to have
In Portugal, wakes are usually held before the funeral service.
Crowds began gathering on Thursday night near the chapel - the Capela da Ressurreicao on the outskirts of Porto - and applauded as the brothers coffins arrived at 11.30pm.
Ronaldo said on Instagram: "It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the selection, you had gotten married now.
9
"To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish you all the strength in the world.
"I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you."
Lionel Messi posted a touching image of Jota making a heart symbol with his hands with the message "QEPD" - short for the Spanish phrase "que en paz descanse" which translates to "may he rest in peace".
Liverpool's number nine, Darwin Nunez, shared an image of a beaming Jota coming on as a substitute for the Uruguayan last season.
The star striker said he will always remember Jota for his smile.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has shared his own statement on his "great friend".
The German, who signed Jota from Wolves for £45m in 2020, said on social media: "This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose, but I can't see it."
He continued: "Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father.
"We will miss you so much. All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them."
Fellow Liverpool icons such as Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and David James have all also paid their respects.
Carragher posted on Instagram: 'Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota. Thoughts are with his wife Rute and their three kids.'
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer added that Jota's death is "devastating news".
He told reporters today: "I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying our first thoughts are going to be with his family and his friends in particular.
"But there are millions of Liverpool fans, but also football fans, and non-fans, who will also be shocked by this."
A tribute to Diogo Jota
By
Sun Sports News Columnist
DIOGO Jota won every major honour in English football with Liverpool before a car crash cruelly cut short his life.
But the pain of Jota's death will also be felt particularly hard at Wolves, where he played a key role in the club's transformation, as well as in his native Portugal.
The versatile forward was part of the squad that won a second Nations League title last month.
And in the last fortnight, Jota had married long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children.
His sudden death at the age of 28, along with brother and fellow footballer Andre in an horrific accident, is heartbreaking.
Because Jota was not only a highly gifted footballer, he was also one of the good guys.
An intelligent, thoughtful man, who spoke English better than some natives and who dedicated himself to his career and family.
By helping Liverpool win the Premier League title last season, Jota completed the full set of domestic trophies after the Reds lifted the FA Cup and League Cup in 2021/22.
Although injury and competition for places restricted Jota's contribution, he still scored key goals as Arne Slot's side claimed a record-equalling 20th English championship.
What turned out to be the last of his 65 strikes for the Reds was the only goal in the Merseyside derby at Anfield in February.
It was typical Jota. While Everton defenders hesitated, the small but strong Portuguese forward bustled on to the ball, beat two men and buried the ball in the net.
Jota had bumps in the road before reaching the top of the game with Liverpool and Portugal.
After making his debut for Pacos de Ferreira at the age of 17, he moved to Atletico Madrid at 19.
But he soon went on loan to Porto, where he did well enough to attract the attention of ambitious Wolves, who were then in the Championship.
In his first season in England, he scored 17 league goals to fire the club back into the Premier League as champions.
Jota was a popular member of the dressing room which featured a strong Portuguese contingent.
He held his own in the top flight, but there was some surprise when Liverpool signed him in a deal worth up to £45m.
Yet in his five seasons at Anfield, he played an important role in the Reds' potent front four as the club claimed English honours and went close to European glory.
Jota scored 21 times as Jurgen Klopp's side hunted down a Quadruple in 2021/2, winning the domestic cups, taking the title race to the final day and losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid.
His total of 65 goals in 182 appearances does not tell the full story of his contribution on and off the field.
After coming close more than once, it was special for Jota finally to lift the Premier League trophy in May.
For Portugal, Jota was part of a generation that delivered glory.
He was uncapped when selected in the squad for the Nations League final stages on home soil in 2019 and did not feature, making his debut later in the year.
Jota would go on to score 14 in 49 appearances. His last was as an extra-time substitute in last month's Nations League final against Spain, which Portugal won on penalties.
That triumph was part of what was surely the best year of Jota's life. For it to have ended, in such terrible circumstances, is incomprehensible.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Hard-pressed Brits face MORE misery at the pumps as fears mount Rachel Reeves will hike fuel duty
DRIVERS already hammered by soaring motoring taxes could face fresh pain at the pump with a fuel duty hike. Top Tory Dame Priti Patel said a hike would mean a 'betrayal of working people'. The AA says motorists are already being squeezed, with Vehicle Excise Duty rising by £30 since 2022, plus millions more paid in parking charges, tolls and congestion fees. AA boss Edmund King also warned any rise at the pumps 'could be catastrophic' for the UK economy. He added: 'The added danger is increased duty simply fuels higher inflation. The strong message to the Chancellor is 'keep it down'.' READ MORE ON FUEL DUTY The AA says motorists are already being squeezed from all sides, with Vehicle Excise Duty jumping from £165 to £195 since 2022, and millions more paid in parking charges, tolls and congestion fees. Drivers of older cars, including popular models like the Ford Fiesta and VW Golf, also face a £160 tax hike when they are eventually forced to upgrade to newer vehicles. The Sun's Keep It Down campaign has helped freeze fuel duty since 2011 - saving drivers thousands but ministers are under pressure to find cash after billions were pledged to reverse planned welfare cuts. A Treasury spokesperson said: 'We extended the fuel duty cut this year, saving drivers £3billion, and we're investing £1.6billion to end the pothole plague by fixing up to seven million extra potholes.' Most read in Motors Pressed on whether she would raise taxes, Reeves said: 'Of course there is a cost to the welfare changes that parliament voted through this week and that will be reflected in the budget. 'But I'm also very, very clear that [the] stability that we've been able to return to the economy, which has enabled the Bank of England to cut interests rates four times, is only possible because of the fiscal discipline which is underpinned by the fiscal rules. Never Mind The Ballots Fuel Duty Debate "And we'll be sticking to those because they're absolutely vital for the living standards of working people and also the costs that businesses face.' 1 Hard-pressed Brits could face a fuel duty hike after Labour's welfare U-turn
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Martin ‘The General' Cahill gang thug Joseph Kavanagh, who carried out bank director abduction, dies suddenly at home
A ONE-TIME key associate of slain gangster Martin 'The General' Cahill has died, the Irish Sun has learned. Brute Joseph 'Jo Jo' Kavanagh, a relative of fallen 4 Joseph 'Jo Jo' Kavanagh was a one-time associate of criminal Martin Cahill Credit: Getty Images - Getty 4 Brute Joseph 'Jo Jo' Kavanagh died at his home this week Credit: 4 He is a relative of Kinahan thug Thomas 'Bomber' Kavanagh Credit: PA:Press Association The thug, understood to have been aged in his late 60s, previously served seven years of a 12-year sentence for abducting former National Irish Bank director Jim Lacey and members of his family at their Kavanagh was convicted of robbery, possession of a handgun with intent to commit an offence and demanding cash with menaces with intention to steal. The brazen Although £300,000 was taken, it was much less than the millions the Cahill gang had planned to steal. Read more in News As part of this ploy, sources explained how Kavanagh allowed Cahill shoot him in the leg two months after the kidnapping. Kavanagh, who had only suffered a flesh wound, told But the concocted story and move was rejected by the Special Criminal It was the Cahill gang's last big job before its leader was shot dead in 1994. Most read in Irish News Sources who dealt with Kavanagh say he was a "depraved" and "vile" character, who assaulted gardai while in custody multiple times. He was part of Cahill's inner circle, alongside Martin 'The Viper' Foley, John 'The Coach' Traynor, and Martin Cunningham, from the 70s into the 90s. 'DANGEROUS CHARACTER' One source told the Irish Sun: "Martin Cahill kept the likes of Kavanagh very close. "Cahill had carried out a favour for Kavanagh previously. Cahill then held it over Kavanagh and used him. "Kavanagh himself was a bad egg, a sleeveen and a highly dangerous character." NEPHEWS KILLED Kavanagh's nephews Gerard - nicknamed 'Hatchet' - and Paul worked for the Kinahan cartel. But both were later whacked by the deadly mob in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Kavanagh is also related to 'Bomber', who was the second in command for the cartel before being locked up in the UK for two decades for drug trafficking. Kavanagh's funeral notice says his funeral is "private for family and close friends." 4 Dublin gangster Martin Foley was also a part of the gang Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Inside Brit party holiday hotspot where drug-fuelled teens urinate on each other & terrorise island on high-speed quads
A TEENAGER off his head on booze climbs on to the balcony of a club's VIP section, drops his trousers and urinates on the revellers dancing below. A few doors down, cannabis-laced vodka cocktails are openly on sale while laughing gas balloons are being flogged in the smoky backroom of a bar for 20 euros a box. 11 Tourists without helmets on quad bikes speed past boozy revellers in Laganas Credit: Ian Whittaker 11 When the Sun visited Laganas, thousands of teens were marauding down the main strip by 11pm on Saturday Credit: Ian Whittaker 11 The air was clammy and filled with the constant roar of quad bikes, which can be rented for 50 euros a day Credit: Ian Whittaker Meanwhile, a quad bike overloaded with screaming tourists taking selfies roars down the street at high speed — with none of the young passengers wearing helmets. And Thankfully his condition has since improved, although his mother says it's 'going to be a long recovery'. Incredibly, these are all incidents that took place on the Laganas strip on police crackdown was enacted. We can reveal that 50 cops from the capital Athens were parachuted in to claw back control. Bouncer Collins Michaels says corrupt bar owners and out-of-control Brits have been responsible for dozens of casualties at the notorious Pulling back his shirt to reveal a stab wound on his right arm, Collins, 54, told The Sun: 'The young kids never stop being naughty because this is often their first time on holiday without their parents. 'I often see teenagers climb on to the balcony of the VIP section at my club then pee on the people below. 'I was stabbed in my arm by a tourist as I was trying to control a group of kids in 2016. The wound was really deep and I spent two weeks in hospital. The strip was rampant — completely out of control — before the crackdown last year and there was so much fighting. 'Something needed to be done or more lives were going to be lost.' Brit DJ, 24, in coma after horror quad bike accident on party island Zante where he had landed 'amazing' club residency 'Last year went crazy' Kai, from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, is the latest visitor to end up in dire straits having moved to He was a passenger on a quad bike that slammed into a wall on a coastal road on the island at around 5pm local time. Kai — who was due to fly home two days after the crash — is still in hospital, having been treated for a bleed on the brain, according to his brother Corey Roberts, 18. The DJ allegedly had to wait an hour for an ambulance before he was taken to the general hospital on Zante. After a CT scan revealed the bleed, he was flown to the Greek mainland where he was put in a medically induced coma at Ioannina University Hospital. The quad bike driver escaped with minor injuries. Corey said: 'My brother is my idol. He's well known, and everywhere he goes everyone loves him.' I last visited Laganas in 2018 after a group of 17 British teens were taken to hospital having drunk bootleg booze containing the deadly chemical methanol. Two years earlier, Hannah Powell, 21, was left fighting for her life and with just ten per cent eye function after drinking a cocktail laced with the same substance, which bar owners had been adding to their home brew to cut costs. The young kids never stop being naughty because this is often their first time on holiday without their parents. Hannah, from Ormesby, Middlesbrough, also needed a kidney transplant and said: 'I was blind — I didn't realise at the time. I thought we had the curtains shut.' But my research has found that the constant chaos and carnage that became the hallmark of Laganas got even worse after Hannah was blinded. 11 British DJ Kai Roberts is in a coma after he crashed his quad bike on party isle this week Credit: Facebook 11 A Medusa Stoned Eyes cocktail laced with cannabis was on sale for 14 euros at a bar that also specialised in shisha pipes Credit: Ian Whittaker 11 In 2016, Hannah Powell was blinded by booze laced with methanol Credit: Supplied 11 In 2011, Robert Sebbage was stabbed to death in Laganas afer a taxi row Credit: ENTERPRISE NEWS AND PICTURES Sigouros Raftopoulos runs three of the six private medical clinics on Laganas Road that provide first aid and ambulance services. He says there was a worrying number of quad bike, scooter and car accidents before police from the capital were flown in. He said: 'Last year went crazy. There were so many cases that involved air ambulances and transfers to Athens. 'We have lots of road accidents. Compared to this time last year we are 50 to 60 per cent down. We are seeing around 20 patients a day total, but during high season it could be 40 to 50 patients. 'You can see the strip is less crazy now. The quality of the booze has been upgraded and there are a lot more police, a lot more checks and a lot more controls.' In 2011, Robert Sebbage, 18, from Tadley, Hants, was stabbed to death outside a fast-food restaurant in Laganas after one of his group pointed a laser pen at a taxi driver's eye. Four other British teenagers from Basingstoke were wounded in the 3am attack. Another low point came when US university graduate Bakari Henderson, 22, died of severe head injuries after he was battered by bouncers working at Bar Code in July 2017. The fight was captured on video and reportedly kicked off after he tried to take a selfie with a waitress. It then spilled outside, where eight security guards repeatedly stamped on his head before leaving him unconscious on the ground. Six Serbian nationals, a 34-year-old Greek and a 32-year-old British national of Serbian descent were among those arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter. In 2022, five of them were convicted of intended fatal bodily harm while another was convicted of fatal bodily harm, and all were handed jail sentences from ten to five years. But even that did not stop the violence. In July 2023, British tourist James Taylor, 18, was caught on camera being repeatedly beaten by four bouncers at CherryBay nightclub in Laganas. James, from Middlesbrough , suffered two black eyes, a swollen jaw, injuries to his head, a bust lip and a cut on his knee. He claimed he was set upon after standing on a chair to take a selfie. We have lots of road accidents. Compared to this time last year we are 50 to 60 per cent down. We are seeing around 20 patients a day total, but during high season it could be 40 to 50 patients. Sigouros Raftopoulos The footage went viral on social media and a Serbian national was arrested — yet workers at the club tried to justify the attack by saying James had beaten a teenage girl, even posting photos to 'prove' it. Then last year, after 12 people aged 17 to 23 were charged with attempted homicide and weapons violations following a knife fight at a bar, the Greek government finally decided to take action. Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis announced that 40 police officers and ten drug enforcement agents were being dispatched to He said: 'We are committed to ensuring the safety of residents and visitors. The reality in Zakynthos will significantly improve.' Security worker Collins, who also runs the Happy Traveller speedboat rentals company, says the 'craziness' has calmed down considerably since then. He said: 'Before, some bouncers were not professional. They thought security work was all about flexing muscles and going to the gym and taking steroids. 11 Bouncer Collins Michaels and boat trip saleswoman Alice Krorda Credit: Ian Whittaker 11 18-year-old Brits, from left, Bridget Carty, Livy Wiley and Emily Lappin Credit: Ian Whittaker 'Then, when the teenagers would start doing crazy things, they would beat them up. 'It's more peaceful now because there is more police control. 'Before, it was only local police and they tended to turn a blind eye to the bad behaviour if it was carried out by other locals. But now, with the Athens police overseeing them, they have no choice but to take action. 'A few bars and clubs have been closed down for breaking the law or playing music too loud after midnight. 'A message has been sent out that bouncers can't hit kids any more and the tourists have been told to report anyone who gets rough with them. 'Lethal death juice' 'I would say it's 80 per cent under control now — but it will never be completely peaceful as we have so many of you crazy Brits here in July and August.' When the Sun visited Laganas, thousands of teens were marauding down the main strip by 11pm on Saturday, many of them celebrating the end of their A-levels. Girls in tight-fitting dresses stumbled down the street sucking on vapes or clutching vibrators, while lads in outrageous fancy dress outfits were downing luminous shots inside the bars. The air was clammy and filled with the constant roar of quad bikes, which can be rented for 50 euros a day. One we spotted tearing down the strip at high speed was being ridden by three helmetless teenagers — a young lad and two girls — who were posing for a selfie being taken by the driver. Meanwhile, a Medusa Stoned Eyes cocktail laced with cannabis was on sale for 14 euros at a bar that also specialised in shisha pipes. In the backroom of another bar, a man was flogging laughing gas for 20 euros a box. When asked if a balloon could be purchased and taken outside, the bearded salesman said: 'No, they are illegal on the island.' Marijuana products were openly on sale alongside sex toys at the racier stores that lined the strip alongside those flogging typical tourist tat. 11 James Taylor from Middlesbrough who was beaten by bouncers in a Zante nightclub Credit: Michelle Taylor/NCJ Media 11 Sigouros Raftopoulos runs three of the six private medical clinics on Laganas Road that provide first aid and ambulance services Credit: Ian Whittaker Ralph Goodwin, 18, Will Bloch, 17, Monty Munday, 18 and John Simmons, 18, said they had been offered drugs during their week-long lads' holiday to Zante. Ralph, from Haslemere in Surrey, had just finished his A-levels and said: 'They don't sell it inside the bars and clubs, but we've had random people approach us in the street and offer to sell us cocaine. 'There's no ketamine here and we're not into drugs anyway. 'We just want to go out and have a good time and we've had a great lads' holiday. The only annoyances have been the bouncers, who are still really aggressive, and the ambulance workers, who will try to fleece you. 'A friend needed an IVF drip after drinking too much the other night and they charged him 450 euros. The booze here is deadly. I call it lethal death juice because a lot of it is home made. 'But in one place we were given three shots of water — literally water — and two cocktails for ten euros.' Bridget Carty, Livy Wiley and Emily Lappin, all 18 and from Marlborough, Wilts, were also celebrating the end of their A-levels, having paid £500 each for their package holiday. Livy said: 'We're all terrified of getting our drinks spiked. 'The taxi driver who picked us up at the airport warned us not to drink alcohol in the bars and clubs. 'He said the drink is 'strange' and it is 'easy to drug'. 'We had drinks at our accommodation before we went out yesterday and we covered our glasses with our hands all night, but we still had a good time.'
