Diogo Jota death: Jurgen Klopp and Cristiano Ronaldo lead tributes as Liverpool forward, 28, dies in car crash
THE world of football is in mourning following the tragic deaths of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
The pair were involved in a car crash while travelling through Zamora, Spain, in a Lamborghini.
Tributes have been flooding in since the horrific news, including from Jota's Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
CR7 posted online: "It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married.
"To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you."
Liverpool and former club Wolves have also paid tribute to Jota, who was married just 11 days ago, as have many of his ex-teammates and figures from the world of football.
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BBC News
29 minutes ago
- BBC News
'Hard day for us' - Portugal's tribute to Jota at Euro 2025
"Of course, if we had the possibility to change everything, we would change everything for sure. But this is a hard day for us."Portugal boss Francisco Neto joined in the tributes to Diogo Jota as thousands of fans also paid their respects during the team's Euro 2025 opener against forward Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, both died early on Thursday morning when the Lamborghini car they were travelling in crashed in the Spanish province of an emotional evening, a heartfelt rendition of Portugal's national anthem was followed by an impeccably observed minute's silence before kick-off, during which a black-and-white image of Jota was displayed on the big stadium screens in Bern."It was a really tough day to play football, because this life is much more than a game, much more than football," said Portugal forward Jessica Silva."Of course everyone is sad. It's heavy, my heart is heavy - much more important things than playing a game."Portugal fans held up placards with messages paying tribute to the player who is also being mourned in Liverpool, while both sets of players wore black having relentless support from their fans throughout the 90 minutes, Portugal fell to a 5-0 defeat in Bern as world champions and tournament favourites Spain began their pursuit for a first European in his post-match news conference, coach Neto, who appeared to hold back tears during the minute's silence, described Jota as a devoted supporter of the women's side."Diogo followed our team because he loved the county," said Neto, who explained he first met Jota while coaching at under-19 level."Diogo always, when I talked to him, always knew the result. He followed the team, some players and this is the culture we have in Portugal."Today is a really, really sad day because two of us lost our lives. So young. It is not a good day." 'Thank you for everything, Diogo' Before the game, Portugal winger Silva posted a tribute on social media, saying: "Diogo wasn't just a great player. He was one of the good ones – loyal, thoughtful, humble."Football is poorer without him, and so are we."After the game, she added: "I knew Diogo and he was a really kind person - much more than a player, much more than a star, he was a guy always paying attention, always ready to give a word for the team and well, it's sad."After the final whistle, the Portugal players lined up together to hold a banner to mark Joto's death. Its message - "Thank you for everything Diogo Jota, rest in peace" - was reflected by the sombre feeling in the made his senior debut for Portugal in 2019 and went on to score 14 goals in 49 internationals, being a member of two squads that won Nations League titles - the second of those victories came only last month."As a person he was very humble, very kind and he liked us and was always watching us and rooting for us. He meant a lot to us and it's very sad," Portugal forward Diana Silva added."He's one of us, so I think the team is feeling the moment quite a bit." 'I couldn't stop crying' News of the tragic deaths overshadowed the build-up to Portugal's tournament trying to soak up the atmosphere in Bern's fan zone, Portugal supporters struggled to process the fan Melanie, who had tickets for the game, fought back tears as she said: "I can't explain it, but as soon as I heard it I started crying."He's one of us of course, but the question is he was so young, he had three kids, he just got married."I'm so sorry. You just start thinking, you really have to enjoy your life because in three seconds, everything can end."Jota recently married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children. He posted pictures on social media of the ceremony, which took place on 22 a Portugal fan who shared his name with the player, said the news "hurts a lot", adding: "He was really important, he was the new generation, the golden generation of Portugal. We will miss him."
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘One of our own': How grieving Portugal remembered ‘eternal' Diogo Jota at Euro 2025
From the darkness, Portugal were faced with an impossible task: to bring some light into the world after the heartbreaking tragedy of losing one of their own. The death of Diogo Jota, killed in a car crash with his brother Andre Silva in the early hours of Thursday morning, had shaken the Portugal team when they woke up on the morning of their opening match of Euro 2025 against Spain. Afterwards, a 5-0 defeat to the world champions barely scratches the surface in the face of such a loss. 'Today is a sad day,' the Portugal head coach Francisco Neto said. 'To lose two lives, so young, of course it is hard. We are thinking of the family.' For Neto, and for many players in the Portugal team, this felt personal too. Neto had previously worked with Jota when in charge of Portugal's Under-19s, and they had stayed in touch as he went on to make 49 appearances for Portugal's senior team and star in the Premier League for Liverpool. In turn, Jota followed their results and kept track of the progress of the Navegadoras. 'Diogo, when we talked, he always knew the results,' Neto remembered with a smile. Jota's support of the women's team was a matter of pride for him. 'This is the culture we have in Portugal, the culture we are building,' he said. In the hours before kick-off against Spain, almost every Portugal player posted a broken heart emoji or message on Instagram. In forward Jessica Silva's tribute to Jota, she called him 'one of our own'. At the end of their 5-0 defeat, some of Portugal's players went into their stands behind the far goal and emerged with a banner. 'Thank you for everything Diogo Jota,' it read. There is a chance that only a few of Portugal's players had crossed paths with Jota, but it was clear the warmth and humility that has been spoken about by his team-mates and coaches shone through to them as well. "Diogo wasn't just a star,' Silva continued. 'It was the good, the faithful, the attentive, the simple ... of those who don't need noise to mark their presence! Football has gone poorer ... and so are we. You will never be forgotten." The shock of Jota's death reinforces the idea that life, like a match, a major tournament and a football career, can be fragile and fleeting. And the moments where life can feel all the more precious, where you want to hold the most important people a little closer, those are the times that can also put football into some perspective, while bringing others together. The story of an emotional night in Bern was in one part the sense of grief and mourning, but there was also the irrepressible noise of the Portugal fans and the manner in which they bounced and sang, as if determined to embrace what they had. It began in poignant silence to remember the brothers, broken only by a beautifully solemn ripple of applause that worked its way around the whole stadium. The Portugal fans in green and red then chanted Jota's name, with a strip of supporters holding up letters spelling out "Rest in peace, Diogo Jota". Another read: 'You took the name of Portugal beyond borders, now it's our turn to raise your name.' One simply stated: 'Eternal Diogo Jota'. It took less than two minutes for Spain to score, as Esther Gonzalez controlled a long pass with her shoulder and flicked her finish into the net to set the tone for a dominant night. Portugal were second best to Spain throughout, just as, one may suspect, many teams at Euro 2025 will be. The world champions put on an impressive, professional opening performance, lit up by Alexia Putellas. Injured on the eve of the Euros three years ago, Putellas is playing as if she is desperate to make up for lost time. She scored Spain's third and was named player of the match, with Gonzalez scoring twice, the 18-year-old Vicky Lopez adding one and Cristina Martin-Prieto finding the fifth in stoppage time. They played at a level that Portugal could not match. 'We were not able to put pressure on Spain,' Neto admitted. 'We know this was a very strong team.' But they were not dealing with what Portugal faced. And still, even as Portugal trailed in the 88th minute and with hope long gone, their supporters held up scarves and defiantly sang the national anthem. If it looked a little bit like a rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone', there was a significance there as well: that, after all, was the message Portugal wanted to send.
Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
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'
Virgil van Dijk has promised to always be available for Diogo Jota 's family after the forward's tragic death. 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. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Virgil (@virgilvandijk) 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.'
