Diogo Jota's Widow Reveals Heartbreaking Final Text Before Fatal Crash
Rute Cardoso, the widow of former Liverpool and Wolves star Diogo Jota, has opened up about the footballer's tragic death in a new biography that features contributions from prominent football figures including Arne Slot, Jurgen Klopp, and Roberto Martinez.
The Tragic Last Message
In a deeply emotional revelation, Cardoso will disclose in the upcoming book that she sent her husband a message asking him to send their wedding video when he had a chance to pull over, completely unaware that he had already been involved in a fatal accident. The 28-year-old Portuguese international died alongside his older brother Andre Silva in an early-hours crash on July 3 last year while driving a rented Lamborghini Huracan toward Santander to catch a ferry to the UK.
Portuguese television presenter Isabel Figueira, who previewed the biography, stated: "What shook me the most when reading an excerpt from the book is the way Rute narrates the last messages she sends him, which Diogo never receives. She says she had just received the wedding video and she says 'Love, when you stop, call me, because I have something here to show you,' and it was this video."
A Life Cut Short
The childhood sweethearts had married at a church in Porto on June 22 last year, just 11 days before the fatal crash on the A-52 motorway near Zamora, close to Spain's north-west border with Portugal. They had been dating for 13 years and had three children together.
Cardoso, who has since moved back to Gondomar near Porto with their children, described in the book how she became increasingly worried when Jota failed to respond to her messages. She began calling the hotel where he was due to stay that night, then hospitals, police, and finally a relative with connections to Spanish traffic police.
Contrary to Football Stereotypes
In another poignant excerpt highlighted by Portuguese magazine Flash, Cardoso insists that Jota was never the stereotypical footballer obsessed with flashy cars and expensive accessories. She stated: "Unlike most players, who like flashy cars, jewellery and watches, Diogo was never into that scene. The vehicles we had were enough for him."
She revealed that Jota had returned a rented Ferrari on the morning of their wedding and had subsequently rented the Lamborghini involved in the fatal crash, suggesting it was more about experiencing different vehicles than displaying wealth.
A Comprehensive Tribute
The official biography, titled 'Nunca Mais e Muito Tempo' (translated as 'Never Again Is a Long Time'), is written by former footballer Jose Manuel Delgado and will be released in Portugal on April 9. Publisher Cultura Editors described it as a "deeply emotional and respectful work that pays tribute to the life and legacy of Diogo Jota, not only as an elite player, but also as a man."
The book features approximately 90 testimonies from football figures including Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Virgil van Dijk, and coaches Jurgen Klopp and Fernando Santos. It provides detailed documentation, complete career statistics, and exclusive photographs provided by Jota's family.
The publisher emphasized that the book addresses the tragic accident "with sobriety and respect" without resorting to sensationalism, seeking to "give meaning to the loss, preserving the dignity of memory."
