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Virgil van Dijk has reacted to the death of his Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota. Shocked to learn about the Portuguese player's demise at the age of 28 on Thursday (July 3), Van Dijk offered his condolences to the family and remarked that Jota will be deeply missed.
In a post on his official Instagram account, Van Dijk wrote:
"Man, I can't believe it, I don't wanna believe it. Absolutely devastated and in total disbelief. What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man. You meant so much to all of us and you always will! For your family to lose two sons, a husband and a father is just unimaginable. So cruel and unfair. My heart is breaking for all of your beautiful family, for Rute and for your kids."
The Dutchman continued:
"I promise you that in these difficult times and beyond we will always be there for your family. A champion forever, number 20 forever. It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it. We will miss you beyond words and never forget you. Your legacy will live on, we will make sure of it! Rest in perfect peace Diogo & André."
In the early hours of Thursday, the news of the tragic deaths of Diogo Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, surfaced. According to Daily Mail, Jota and Andre died in a car crash when their car veered off the road in Zamora, Spain, near the Portugal border. Their tire reportedly suffered a blowout while overtaking, causing the car to leave the track and burst into flames.
Jota (28) and Andre (25) were both professional footballers. Andre played for Portuguese second division side Penafiel, while Jota was a regular for Liverpool since 2020.
It doesn't make sense" - Cristiano Ronaldo on the death of Liverpool's Diogo Jota
Liechtenstein v Portugal: Group J - UEFA EURO 2024 European Qualifiers - Source: Getty" srcset="https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/07/7f2e9-17515776684058-1920.jpg 1920w">
Liechtenstein v Portugal: Group J - UEFA EURO 2024 European Qualifiers - Source: Getty
Cristiano Ronaldo was in disbelief after learning about Diogo Jota's death. While reflecting on their recent appearances for Portugal, the 40-year-old sent his condolences to Jota's family.
In a post on his official X handle, Ronaldo wrote:
"It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, and now you've gotten married. To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish you all the strength in the world. I know you'll always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We'll all miss you."
Diogo Jota and Cristiano Ronaldo were active members of Portugal's squad that won the UEFA Nations League title in 2019 and 2025. The late centre-forward registered 49 appearances as a first-team player for the Portuguese national team, delivering 14 goals and 12 assists across competitions.
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Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.
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Edited by Parag Jain