Portuguese and Spanish media outlets have reported the tragic death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota.
Born in Porto on December 4, 1996, Diogo “Jota” José Teixeira da Silva played forward for both Liverpool FC and the Portuguese national team.
In September 2020, he moved from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Liverpool for a reported £40 million.
He established himself as a key member of the Anfield team, helping Liverpool win the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup recently while scoring 47 Premier League goals in 123 games.
Jota joined Atlético Madrid in 2016 after starting his professional football career at Paços de Ferreira in Portugal.
Following his loan stints at Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, he was permanently transferred to Wolves in 2018 as a result of his performances.
His ascent in the Premier League ultimately resulted in his well-publicized move to Liverpool, where his intelligence, work ethic, and goal-scoring prowess soon won him over the supporters.
Jota scored 14 goals and received 49 caps for Portugal’s national team.
He participated in important competitions and helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Only a few weeks prior to his death, he made his final appearance on the international scene.
Jota was an avid gamer off the field.
He had his own eSports team and was a frequent Twitch streamer. He even topped the FIFA 21 global rankings during the pandemic lockdown.
Additionally, Jota and Rute Cardoso had been together since 2012. Together, the couple had three kids.
In front of family and close friends, Jota proposed in July 2022, and they were married in a private ceremony on June 22, 2025.
He posted pictures from the occasion with the caption, “June 22, 2025.” Yes, indefinitely.
Jota and his 26-year-old brother, André Felipe Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car accident on the morning of July 3, 2025, while driving on the A-52 motorway close to the town of Zamora in northwest Spain.
According to reports, the car veered off the road and caught fire after a tire blowout during an overtaking maneuver. At the scene, both men were declared dead.
Early on Thursday morning, the Spanish news agency EFE verified the incident’s specifics.