It has been one year since former Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a tragic car accident. Portugal play their World Cup round of 32 match against Croatia on the eve of the anniversary of the brothers' deaths this Thursday.
World Cup Tributes to Jota
The Portugal squad have worn wristbands to honour their former teammate Jota during their World Cup matches. The forward was also shown on stadium screens ahead of the team's opening match against DR Congo, and his parents were visibly moved by the gesture.
Jota's last competitive match saw him win the Nations League with Portugal, and his wife, Rute, has said it was the striker's dream to represent his nation at a World Cup. His international teammate Ruben Neves has revealed that he continues to send Jota WhatsApp messages.
The Night of the Crash
Liverpool and the wider footballing world were rocked last year by the sudden loss of Jota, 28, who had recently celebrated winning the Premier League with the Reds. The Portugal international had also just married his long-term partner, Rute, 11 days before his passing, and Jota's wife recently shared his wedding speech on their anniversary.
His younger brother Andre, 25, was also a professional footballer for Portuguese side Penafiel. The pair were heading to the Spanish city of Santander together as Jota had been advised against flying after undergoing lung surgery.
The brothers had intended to take an overnight ferry to England before arriving in Portsmouth. However, the Lamborghini Huracan that Jota and his brother were travelling in veered off the road.
Why Jota Was Travelling by Road
Discussing the reason for Jota's travel plans, CNN Portugal's Rui Laura explained: "The surgery he had had was lung surgery, and he had been advised against flying following this. He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross the ferry and reach the UK that way, and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother."
Police Investigation and Cause of Collision
The police investigation of the incident concluded that a tyre blowout had occurred while the Liverpool forward attempted to overtake a vehicle on A-52, some 70 miles west of Valladolid. The car subsequently went off the road at around 12.40am and quickly caught fire. Firefighters, alongside emergency services and the Civil Guard, put the fire out, but it was confirmed that both occupants had lost their lives.
A statement from the Civil Guard in Zamora read: "The investigation into the crash is being carried out by Civil Guard traffic officers. We believe the car suffered a blowout from the marks on the road. The full police report, once it is completed, will be submitted to a duty court in Zamora, which has launched an ongoing judicial investigation into this crash. That report is going to take time to complete, probably about four or five days, but possibly longer. At this moment in time, it is impossible to say exactly what speed the car was going, but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks. What I can confirm is that no other vehicle was involved and no one else was hurt."
Jota's Legacy and Impact on Portugal
Jota made 37 appearances for Liverpool during the 2024/25 campaign, scoring nine goals and providing four assists. Portugal playing on the anniversary of his death will be an emotional occasion for his national team, but manager Roberto Martinez has explained how the forward continues to inspire his teammates.
"Diogo is our light," Martinez said to The Athletic ahead of the World Cup. "Diogo is our reference of wanting to do or needing to do what his dream was, which was winning titles for Portugal, like he did winning the Nations League. He was a big part of what we built in the dressing room. He wanted to win the World Cup, so it becomes a bit of a responsibility, an example, because Diogo was the pure example of believing in whatever could be possible, always with that tenacity, always finding the answer in the right moment in the difficult moment in the game."
