Liverpool forward Jota dies in car crash

Liverpool guardant Diogo Jota has died successful a car crash, aged 28.

The Portugal forward's member Andre Silva besides died successful the accident, which took spot successful the Spanish state of Zamora.

The 26-year-old was besides a nonrecreational footballer, with Portuguese second-tier nine Penafiel.

The Guardia Civil has told BBC Sport that Jota and his member died astatine astir 00:30 section clip connected Thursday.

They said that their car, a Lamborghini, near the roadworthy owed to a tyre blowout portion overtaking different conveyance and past caught fire.

Jota joined his semipermanent spouse Rute Cardoso, with whom helium had 3 children, conscionable past month.

He precocious posted pictures connected societal media, external of the ceremony, which took spot connected 22 June.

Liverpool said they "are devastated" astatine the nonaccomplishment of Jota, who they signed from Wolves for £41m successful 2020.

He scored 65 goals successful 182 appearances for the Reds, helping them triumph the FA Cup and League Cup successful 2022 and the Premier League rubric past season.

He besides played for Portugal arsenic they bushed Spain successful the last of the Nations League connected 8 June, which was his 49th planetary appearance.

"The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and each of Portuguese shot are wholly devastated," work a FPF statement.

"Much much than an astonishing player, Diogo Jota was an bonzer person, respected by each team-mates and opponents, idiosyncratic with an infectious joyousness and a notation successful the assemblage itself.

"We person mislaid 2 champions. The passing of Diogo and Andre Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we volition bash everything to grant their bequest daily."

The FPF has requested that European football's governing assemblage Uefa observe a minute's soundlessness earlier Portugal's Women's Euros crippled against Spain connected Thursday.

Jota began his nonrecreational vocation with Pacos de Ferreira earlier joining Atletico Madrid successful 2016 and helium spent the 2016-17 play connected indebtedness with Porto, wherever his member was a younker player.

"FC Porto is successful mourning," work a nine statement.

"It is with daze and heavy sorrow that we nonstop our heartfelt condolences to the household and friends of Diogo Jota and his member Andre Silva. Rest successful peace."

After leaving Porto successful 2017, Andrew Silva spent clip with the younker academies astatine 3 different Portuguese clubs earlier joining Gondomar successful 2021.

He signed for Penafiel connected a escaped transportation successful 2023 and made 59 league appearances implicit the past 2 seasons.

After making his planetary debut successful 2019, Jota scored 14 goals for Portugal, helping them triumph the Nations League successful 2019 and 2025.

Portugal's premier curate Luis Montenegro said: "The quality of the decease of Diogo Jota, an jock who greatly honoured Portugal's name, and his member is unexpected and tragic.

"I widen my deepest condolences to their family. It is simply a bittersweet time for shot and for nationalist and planetary sports."

Jota joined Wolves connected indebtedness from Atletico successful 2017 earlier making the determination imperishable successful 2018.

The Football Association said: "We are devastated.

"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Diogo's family, friends and team-mates astatine Liverpool and Portugal."