Rute Cardoso, the widow of late Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, has posted a heartbreaking tribute to her husband on social media to mark their youngest daughter's first birthday.
A Tragic Loss for Football
The world of football was left in shock in July 2025 when Liverpool forward Diogo Jota tragically died in a car accident in Spain. The Portuguese international, who was just 28 years old, was killed alongside his brother, Andre Silva.
The devastating news prompted an outpouring of grief from teammates, fans, and football figures worldwide. A funeral was subsequently held in Jota's hometown of Gondomar, Portugal.
A Mother's Emotional Tribute
Now, months after the tragedy, Jota's widow, Rute Cardoso, has taken to Instagram to share a series of heart-warming family photos to celebrate their daughter turning one.
Her post was captioned, "A whole year," accompanied by heart and star emojis. The carousel of images included a poignant picture of Jota carrying his newborn daughter out of the hospital a year ago, as well as a beautiful family portrait taken on the pitch at Liverpool's home ground, Anfield.
Followers quickly flooded the comments with messages of support. One person wrote, "He is watching. We love you and your family," while another commented, "Beautiful family, how much I admire you Rute."
A Family Left Behind
Diogo Jota and Rute Cardoso shared three young children together:
- A son named Dinis, born in 2021.
- Two daughters, born in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
In a cruel twist of fate, the couple had only been married for just over a week before Jota's untimely death. Rute had previously shared a touching tribute one month after their wedding, posting photos from their special day with the caption: "One month of our ‘until death do us part’. Forever, your white girl.”
The pregnancy with their third child was famously announced by Jota during the Euro 2024 tournament. After scoring a goal against Czechia (which was later disallowed), he celebrated by placing the ball under his shirt.
The family's loss has been felt deeply across the football community. Jota's former teammate, Trent Alexander-Arnold, recently paid his own tribute ahead of a match, leaving flowers and a heartfelt letter outside Anfield that read: "My mate Diogo, you are so missed but still so loved... Forever 20, YNWA."
