The devastating incident occurred shortly after midnight on Thursday in Cernadilla, located in the province of Zamora, north-western Spain. According to Spain’s Civil Guard, the brothers were travelling in a Lamborghini when the vehicle suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking, veered off the motorway, and caught fire.
Witnesses at the scene immediately contacted emergency services after seeing the car engulfed in flames, with the fire also spreading to nearby vegetation. Despite the swift response, both Jota, aged 28, and his younger brother Andre, 26, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The news comes just weeks after Diogo Jota celebrated his marriage to longtime partner Rute Cardoso on June 22. The couple shared three young children.
Andre Jota, like his brother, was also a professional footballer, playing for Portuguese second division side Penafiel.
Diogo Jota had become a household name in world football, joining Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 in a £41 million transfer. During his time at Anfield, he made 182 appearances and scored 65 goals, playing a crucial role in helping Liverpool secure the Premier League title last season under new manager Arne Slot.
Jota’s trophy cabinet also included the FA Cup, Community Shield, and two Carabao Cup titles. On the international stage, he was capped 49 times for Portugal, recently featuring in their UEFA Nations League final victory over Spain.
The tragic loss of Diogo and Andre Jota has left the football community mourning one of the sport’s brightest talents.
