By Ayo Kehinde
Weeks after he married married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, just last month, Liverpool forward, Diogo Jota, has died in a car accident in Spain, aged 28.
The ceremony took place on June 22, in Porto, with several current and former teammates in attendance. He and Cardoso had three children together, and the couple had shared wedding photos on social media days before the accident.
The crash occurred in the early hours of Wednesday in the province of Zamora, where Jota was travelling with his younger brother, André Silva.
Emergency services confirmed that both men died at the scene. Spanish authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.
André Silva, 26, was also a professional footballer, most recently playing for Penafiel in Portugal’s second tier. The pair were reportedly returning from a private family gathering in the region when their vehicle veered off the road. Neither player was known to have had any prior incidents involving road safety.
The Portugal international played a key role in Liverpool’s English Premier League title win last season and featured prominently for the national team in their Nations League triumph in June. Known for his sharp movement and finishing, Jota scored 15 goals in the 2024/2025 campaign and had been expected to remain a central figure in Arne Slot’s squad heading into the next season.
