He won the English Premier League in April, won the Nations League in early June, tied the knot 10 days ago but, it is all in the past; so is Liverpool forward Diogo José Teixeira da Silva.
One moment, an individual is at the pinnacle of their career, enjoying the splendour of their accomplishments one moment, and then they are gone, leaving a legacy and a lot of unsolved questions in their wake.
Today, the football world mourns the sudden demise of Diogo José Teixeira da Silva and André Filipe Teixeira da Silva.
What happened to Diogo Jota?
It was going to be a normal day, but around 9 AM on Thursday, July 3, 2025, a devastating accident first reported by Marca, broke from Spain.
News of the deaths of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, Penafiel forward André Silva, became public, sending shockwaves through the football world.
Both brothers were involved in a horrific car crash in northwestern Spain in the early hours of Thursday, which tragically claimed their lives. Authorities in Madrid confirmed that the Lamborghini carrying the two brothers veered off the road and subsequently burst into flames.
The severity of the crash was such that both Jota and Silva succumbed to their injuries at the scene, painting a grim picture of the final moments for the siblings.
The aftermath saw emergency services shut down a two-lane highway as an officer examined the charred wreckage of the overturned car, which had come to rest on the central verge, as reported by Reuters footage from the scene.
Diogo Jota recently married his partner, Rute Cardoso, on June 22, 2025. After meeting in middle school and attending high school together, Jota and Cardoso dated for more than 13 years before getting married.
They dated for nine years before getting engaged in 2022 and getting married three years later. They had three children together: a daughter and two sons.
His last post on social media was a reply where he commented on Cardoso’s Instagram two days ago after his wife wrote, “My dream came true,” after their wedding.
The 28-year-old replied, “But I’m the lucky one.”
According to BBC Sport, Jota had to travel could not travel by air because doctors
he had undergone minor surgery.
He therefore intended to take a ferry back to Liverpool for preseason training, which was scheduled to start on Monday.
This is understood to involve him travelling by car from Porto to get a ferry from Santander in northern Spain. About 190 miles separate Zamora, which is near the Portuguese border, and Porto.
According to BBC sport, it is known that Jota travelled backwards to get to Porto for his wedding.
Both brothers, whom are reportedly the only sons of their parents have departed the surface of the earth.
There have been tributes from top clubs and personalities mourning their exit.
*Who was Diogo Jota?
Diogo Jota, born Diogo José Teixeira da Silva on December 4, 1996, in Porto, Portugal, was a professional footballer best known for his time with Liverpool FC and the Portugal national team.
A versatile attacker, Jota could play as a central forward or on either wing.
Before joining Paços de Ferreira’s youth team in 2013, Jota started playing football at Gondomar SC, a local club in Porto.
In 2014, he made his senior debut for the team, making history as the youngest player in Portugal’s Primeira Liga to score twice in a single game.
Due to his rapid international recognition, Spanish side, Atletico Madrid signed him in 2016.
He did, however, spend time on loan at FC Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers and never played a competitive game for Atletico.
His career development was significantly impacted by his time at Wolves. He first joined on loan in 2017 and scored 17 league goals to help the team get promoted to the Premier League.
After the transfer was finalised in 2018, Jota established himself as a dependable forward in the top division of England during the following two seasons.
On September 19, 2020, he made a high-profile move to Liverpool FC for an estimated £41 million as a result of his performances at Wolves.
At Liverpool, Jota became an important part of Jürgen Klopp’s attacking options. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his Premier League debut and also netting the club’s 10,000th goal in all competitions in the Champions League.
In total, he made 182 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals and providing 26 assists.
During his time with the Reds, he won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in the 2021–22 season and was part of the squad that lifted the Premier League title in the 2024–25 season.
Internationally, Jota represented Portugal from youth level up to the senior team.
He earned 49 caps and scored 14 goals for the national side, contributing to Portugal’s UEFA Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025.
His international career included appearances at Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and most recently, winning the UEFA Nations LEague, few weeks ago.
Off the pitch, Jota was well-known for his interest for video games. He even started his own esports team, Luna Galaxy, and ranked first in the world on FIFA 21’s FUT Champion mode.
Jota’s market value peaked in 2021 at €60 million, but as of May 2025, it was estimated to be worth €40 million. He signed a 2022 contract with Liverpool that was set to expire in 2027.
*Who was André Silva?
André Filipe Teixeira da Silva, the younger brother of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, was a Portuguese professional footballer born on April 28, 2000, in Gondomar, Portugal.
Like his older brother, André pursued a career in football from a young age, starting out at Gondomar SC before moving to the youth academy of FC Porto in 2011.
His early development also included stints at Padroense, Paços de Ferreira, Famalicão, and Boavista, reflecting a steady path through Portugal’s youth football system.
Standing at 1.68 meters tall, André Silva played primarily as an attacking midfielder but was capable of performing on the left flank or as a centre-forward.
He was a right-footed player known for his agility and offensive positioning rather than physical presence.
In 2021, he joined the senior team of Gondomar SC and later moved to Penafiel, a club competing in Portugal’s second division, Liga Portugal 2.
At Penafiel, he made 62 appearances, scored 7 goals, and provided 3 assists, establishing himself as a regular in the squad over two seasons.
Although André did not gain the international profile of his older brother, he was a respected figure in the Portuguese domestic scene.
Mid-2025, his estimated market value stood at €450,000. Teammates and coaches described him as disciplined and modest, with a professional attitude that suggested a growing maturity on and off the pitch.
Outside football, André shared a close relationship with Diogo Jota. The brothers were often seen together during family moments and public appearances, and André was present at Jota’s wedding in Portugal just ten days before their untimely deaths.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his profound sadness, stating, “I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.
28-year-old Diogo had enjoyed a fantastic career to date and had many great years ahead of him, while his brother André was thriving at FC Penafiel – they will both be so sorely missed by all those who knew them and by the worldwide football Community.”
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin also shared his sorrow, recalling a recent moment with Jota: “Just three weeks ago, I had the honor of presenting Diogo Jota with a medal after the UEFA Nations League final — a moment of joy, pride, and celebration that will now forever be burned in memory with sorrow.
His passion, energy and spirit on the field inspired everyone around him. It is devastating to think that a life so full of joy and potential has been taken far too soon.
Rest in peace, dear Diogo. You will not be forgotten.” UEFA has also announced that a moment of silence will be observed at all Women’s Euro 2025 matches on Thursday and Friday.
Liverpool Football Club, Diogo Jota’s current Club, released a statement saying they are “devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.”
They added, “Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.
We will continue to provide them with our full support.”
Tributes from other top clubs across Europe have also come in with Real Madrid C.F. writing “Real Madrid C.F., its President, and its Board of Directors deeply regret the passing of Diogo Jota, a Liverpool FC player, and his brother André Silva, a FC Penafiel player.
Real Madrid wishes to express its condolences and sympathy to his family, loved ones, teammates, and clubs. Real Madrid joins in the immense grief of all football fans. Rest in peace.”
FC Barcelona wrote “FC Barcelona would like to express their sincerest condolences regarding the loss of Liverpool FC player Diogo Jota and his brother André. May they rest in peace.”
On their official website, Manchester City wrote “Everyone at Manchester City is shocked and saddened to learn about the devastating news regarding the passing of Diogo Jota.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and everyone at Liverpool Football Club at this difficult time. Rest in peace, Diogo”, according to him.
North London side, Arsenal posted “The thoughts of everyone at Arsenal are with Diogo’s family, friends and all associated with Liverpool Football Club.”
Chelsea FC on their social media platforms wrote “Everyone at Chelsea FC is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre. Our thoughts go out to their family, friends and all at Liverpool FC at this incredibly difficult time”.
FC Porto, where both brothers played in their youth ranks, stated: “FC Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks. Rest in peace.”
Wolves, Jota’s former club, expressed their heartbreak: “We are heartbroken. Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him during his time at Wolves.
The memories he created will never be forgotten. Our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Diogo and his brother, Andre. You will be truly missed, and always remembered.”
The Premier League released a statement saying, “Everyone at the Premier League is shocked and devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre.
“Our sincerest condolences go to Diogo’s family, friends, Liverpool FC, and all their supporters at this heartbreaking time. Football has lost a champion who will be forever missed. We will continue to support our friends and colleagues at the Club.”
Beyond Clubs, individuals like Cristiano Ronaldo, Jürgen Klopp, and Jamie Carragher have also shared moving personal tributes.
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