MADRID - Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother died in a car crash in northwestern Spain early on Thursday, when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames.
Evidence at the crash site suggested Jota's car suffered a burst tyre while overtaking, police said. The vehicle then flipped over and ended up in the central reservation. The crash occurred around 00:30 am (2230 GMT) in the province of Zamora.
Tributes to the 28-year-old poured in from national leaders, football presidents, his teammates and clubs, while in Liverpool, devastated fans wept and laid flowers outside Anfield stadium for a man who weeks earlier had celebrated winning the Premier League with the team.
Jota, 28, had just married his partner of 10 years in late June, with whom he had three children. "My dream came true," his wife Rute Cardoso wrote on Instagram of their wedding.
"This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can't see it!" former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who brought Jota to the club in 2020, said on Instagram.
"Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father!"
Jota was the blueprint for the high-pressing, high-energy goal-getter beloved by modern coaches.
"It doesn't make sense. We were only just in the national team together, you'd only just got married," fellow Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo said on X.
ALSO READ: Liverpool restore 12-point lead as Jota seals win over Everton
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said: "his passion, energy and spirit on the field inspired everyone around him. It is devastating to think that a life so full of joy and potential has been taken far too soon."
Jota's brother, Andre Silva, who died alongside him, was also a footballer, with Penafiel in the Portuguese second division.
A minute's silence will be observed at all of Thursday's and Friday's matches at the Women's Euros taking place in Switzerland, UEFA said in a statement.
'Adored by fans'
Jota helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season, scoring the derby winner against Everton, and also won the FA Cup in 2022 and League Cup in 2022 and 2024 with the Merseyside outfit. Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club. Liverpool said they were devastated.
"It is a remarkable achievement for a small guy that came from Gondomar, where I had this dream," Jota said on Liverpool’s website of winning the Premier League. "It's a moment I will cherish forever."
Flags flew at half-mast outside Anfield.
"I used to see him with his cars - he used to like his cars, you know," Lesley Hughes, 75, told Reuters outside the stadium. "You'd see him driving in and he'd wave."
Born in Porto, Jota began his career with local team Pacos de Ferreira before switching to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017.
"We are heartbroken. Diogo was adored by our fans, loved by his teammates and cherished by everyone who worked with him during his time at Wolves," the club said.
Jota also made 49 appearances for Portugal, twice winning the UEFA Nations League.
On the streets of Lisbon, many Portuguese said they were devastated by the tragic news.
READ MORE: Jota earns leaders Liverpool 1-1 draw at high-flying Forest
"He was, without a doubt, one of the great figures of our national team and a key player for Liverpool," Francisco Ferreira, 25, told Reuters. "It’s a loss that saddens all Portuguese people, and I pray for him and for his family."
