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Liverpool FC player Diogo Jota and his brother died early Thursday in Spain after the Lamborghini they were traveling in crashed near the western city of Zamora, leaving the car in flames, police said.
The death of the 28-year-old forward comes less than two months after he lifted the Premier League trophy in front of a raucous home crowd at Anfield in celebration of Liverpool’s title-winning season. In late June, Jota married Rute Cardoso, whom he had three children with — the youngest born last year.
“Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota,” the team said in a statement Thursday. “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.”
“Doesn’t make any sense,” added global soccer star and Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo in an Instagram post. “Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you were married. To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.
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The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed to The Associated Press that Jota and his brother were found dead after their car went off a road in an accident that happened early this morning.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation and police added that there were no other vehicles involved. Firefighters were called in as the fire from the Lamborghini spread into the nearby vegetation, authorities said.
Jota also played for Portugal’s national team and helped it win the Nations League last month. His 25-year-old brother André Silva played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.
Jota transferred to Liverpool from English club Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, winning three major trophies with them and appearing in its Champions League final match with Real Madrid in 2022.
Throughout his tenure at Liverpool, Jota scored 47 goals in 123 appearances.
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The Portuguese soccer federation released a statement lamenting the deaths. Federation president Pedro Proença said Portuguese soccer was “completely devastated.”
“More than a fantastic player, with almost 50 appearances for the national team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all his colleagues and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference in his community,” Proença said in the statement.
Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro commented on the “unexpected and tragic” deaths. He said Jota was “an athlete who greatly honored Portugal’s name.”
“I extend my deepest condolences to their family,” he said. “It is a sad day for soccer and for national and international sports.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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