6 hours ago
54
Diogo Jota had bid a heartfelt farewell to his "best friend" Caoimhin Kelleher weeks earlier the Liverpool star's tragic decease successful a car accident.
The full shot assemblage is grieving aft the 28-year-old and his 26-year-old brother, Andre Silva, died successful Spain successful the aboriginal hours of Thursday morning.
The Spanish Civil Guard reported that the brothers were recovered dormant aft their conveyance near the roadworthy adjacent Zamora. Liverpool FC said the nine was "devastated" by the news, describing Jota's decease arsenic an "unimaginable loss".
The Portuguese Football Federation besides said it was "devastated" astir the siblings' passing, arsenic they said: "Their deaths correspond irreparable losses for Portuguese football."
Police said that the crash did not impact different vehicles and a tyre blowout during an overtaking manoeuvre caused the accident. Jota was a cardinal fig successful Liverpool's Premier League triumph successful the 2024/25 season, scoring six times successful 26 appearances.
The tributes perpetually flooding successful beryllium that the young guardant was well-liked among his peers and adored by the fans. His relationship with goalkeeper Kelleher, who precocious secured an £18million transportation to Brentford this summer, was notably strong.
Jota felt his ain consciousness of nonaccomplishment erstwhile Kelleher departed from Anfield, sharing a photograph connected Instagram of them unneurotic with the Premier League trophy. He added the caption: "All the champion my friend! You'll beryllium missed," accompanied by a raised-hands solemnisation emoji.
When asked astir his closest mate successful the team, Jota said successful 2024: "Nowadays I would accidental Caoimhin. There person been a fewer departing the squad.
"We prosecute successful a quiz game, we vie against each other. There's 1 connected the lucifer time programme. It's a large mode to footwear disconnected the lucifer time action."
Following the confirmation of Jota's death, Liverpool released a connection that read: "Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The nine person been informed the 28-year-old has passed distant pursuing a roadworthy postulation mishap successful Spain on with his brother, Andre.
"Liverpool FC volition beryllium making nary further remark astatine this clip and petition the privateness of Diogo and Andre's family, friends, team-mates and nine unit is respected arsenic they effort to travel to presumption with an unimaginable loss. We volition proceed to supply them with our afloat support."
The Portuguese nationalist squad besides issued a statement, arsenic they said: "Diogo Jota was not lone a fantastic subordinate with astir 50 caps for the nationalist team, but besides an bonzer idiosyncratic who was respected by each his teammates and opponents. He had a contagious joyousness and was a notation constituent successful his ain community."
Jota tied the knot with his semipermanent partner, Rute Cardoso, successful Portugal connected June 22, conscionable 11 days earlier the tragic incident. The mates were parents to 3 children.
English (US) ·