Portuguese Soccer Player Diogo Jota Dies in Car Crash Aged 28

Portuguese soccer star Diogo Jota, who played for Liverpool in the English Premier League, died in a car crash in northern Spain on Thursday. The 28-year-old was traveling with his brother AndrȨ Silva, 25, when their Lamborghini left the A-52 highway and caught fire after experiencing a tire blowout. The accident occurred near Cernadilla, in the province of Zamora, at around 12:30 a.m. local time.

Jota, who was married just 11 days prior to the accident, leaves behind his wife and their three children. The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed the deaths of both brothers, describing Jota as a "fantastic player" and an "extraordinary person." Liverpool FC released a statement expressing their devastation and requesting the privacy of Jota's family be respected.

Key Takeaways:

  • Diogo Jota, a 28-year-old Portuguese soccer player, died in a car crash in northern Spain on Thursday.
  • Jota was married just 11 days prior to the accident and leaves behind his wife and their three children.
  • Jota's brother, AndrȨ Silva, 25, also died in the accident.
  • Jota played for Liverpool in the English Premier League, scoring 65 goals in 182 appearances.
  • Jota was part of the team that won the Premier League title for the second time in Liverpool's history in April.
  • Jota played for Portugal's national team 49 times, scoring 14 goals.
  • UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin paid tribute to Jota, describing him as "a fast, intelligent forward with the ability to play in any position up front."
  • NBA star LeBron James and Portuguese soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo expressed their condolences on social media.

Statistics:

  • Age of Diogo Jota: 28
  • Number of goals scored by Jota in 182 appearances for Liverpool: 65
  • Number of appearances Jota made for Liverpool: 182
  • Number of times Jota played for Portugal's national team: 49
  • Number of goals Jota scored for Portugal: 14
  • Time between Jota's marriage and the car accident: 11 days

Sources:

  • "Portuguese soccer player Diogo Jota dies in car crash" (Spain's Civil Guard), exactly as mentioned in the original text,
  • "Portuguese Football Federation statement" (Portuguese Football Federation), exactly as mentioned in the original text.
  • "Statement from Liverpool FC" (Liverpool FC), exactly as mentioned in the original text.
  • "UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin statement" (UEFA), exactly as mentioned in the original text.
  • "Statement from Penafiel" (Penafiel), exactly as mentioned in the original text.