Liverpool star Diogo Jota had to be identified by his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, just days after their wedding ceremony when the love-up couple tied the knot in front of family and friends
14:07, 03 Jul 2025
Rute had to identify Diogo after the fireball crash
Rute had to identify Diogo after the fireball crash(Image: Instagram/diogoj_18)
The heartbroken wife of tragic footy ace Diogo Jota had to identify him and his brother after they died in a horror car crash, it has emerged.
Rute Cardoso — who tied the knot with her childhood sweetheart just days ago — was offered psychological help during the ordeal and she was given her husband's personal belongings that were salvaged from the fireball wreckage.
She told police Diogo, 28, and brother Andre, 26, had planned to spend the night in Benavente on Wednesday before driving to Santander before on Thursday where they were set to catch a ferry to the UK, the Mirror reports.
The loved-up couple tied the knot just days before his shock death
The loved-up couple tied the knot just days before his shock death
It comes as the horror crash said to be being investigated as “a possible speeding incident” by authorities in Zamora, Spain.
Tragedy struck at around 12.30am local time when the Lamborghini they were travelling in suffered a tyre blow out as it overtook another vehicle on the motorway near the Portuguese border. The supercar then engulfed in a fireball, killing both men instantly.
Article continues below
Horrific photos from the scene show the devastating aftermath of the crash, with the charred wreckage on the side of the road.
Diogo Jota (right) pictured with his brother André Silva and wife, Rute Cardoso (Rute, between the brothers)
Diogo Jota, far right, pictured with his wife Rute Cardoso and brother André Silva(Image: Diogo Jota Instagram)
The tragedy, which has shocked the football world, came just 10 days after Rute and Jota got married in their hometown of Porto. Adorable photos show the loved-up couple and their three children enjoying the day.
In a heartbreaking twist, Jota's final poignant post on Instagram was a video recapping on the day, with the caption: "A day we will never forget."
A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Zamora said: "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 at 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 signed for Liverpool from Wolves for £45million in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances. His final goal for the club was a winner in a Merseyside derby which helped them win their 20th league title.
Article continues below
The club said in a statement it was "devastated" by his "unimaginable loss".