251
By Oscar Okhifo
Tragedy has hit the global football community as Liverpool and Portugal attacker Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, known as Diogo Jota, tragically passed away early Thursday in a car crash on Spain’s A‑52 motorway in Zamora province. He was just 28 years old.
His younger brother, André, a 26‑year‑old professional footballer, was also killed in the accident .
Emergency services, including the regional 112 catastrophe coordination, Guardia Civil traffic, and Zamora firefighters, responded to multiple calls reporting a burning vehicle near kilometer 65 by Cernadilla / Palacios de Sanabria . Crews arrived to find the car off the road and fully engulfed in flames, a scene that tragically left zero survivors .
Initial investigations suggest the vehicle may have veered off the carriageway possibly due to a tyre blowout, before engulfing in flames and spread into adjacent vegetation.
The blaze complicated efforts to confirm identities, although subsequent reports assert the victims were indeed the Jota brothers .
The duo’s careers could be described as candle in the wind. Born on December 4, 1996, in Porto, Portugal, he
emerged through Paços de Ferreira, brief Atlético Madrid stint and loaned to Porto. He excelled at Wolverhampton Wanderers better 2017–2020, scoring 17 goals in 44 Championship games. That was a big deal in his career.
In 2020, he was penned up by Liverpool for ~£41 million. He made 123 appearances, scoring 47 goals; a key contributor to the 2024–25 Premier League, FA Cup, and two Carabao Cups.
On the home front scene, the deceased was ace too . He Won 49 caps, scored 14 goals for Portugal.
He was a member of the Nations League‑winning squads in 2019 and 2025
He got married to his
long-time partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, 2025, just 11 days before the crash. The couple had three children .
Regional authorities are investigating the cause of the fatal crash. Autopsies and identity confirmation were delayed due to damage caused by inferno.
The football world is titanically bereaved.
Portuguese media described the loss as “an irreparable blow” to national football .
It’s been a rain of tributes across social media, with Liverpool supporters and teammates passionately mourning their beloved teammate.
Official statements from Liverpool FC and the Portuguese Football Federation (PFF) are expected to drop soon.
Investigators are leaving nothing to chance. Most prominent among the factors are, speed, tyre integrity, and road conditions.
Official confirmation and funeral arrangements from authorities, Liverpool FC, and the PFF are anticipated within the next few days.
As expected in grief moments like these, memorials and moments of silence, elergy and dirges are expected at upcoming Liverpool matches, during national team fixture and in other football oriented gatherings and events.
As the football world mourns, the Sports Desk of Pointblank News.com shares the grief of family members and Team mates in no brief terms.