Diogo Jota had been courageously battling a lesser-known condition known as pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, in the weeks leading up to his tragic passing.
That's according to his physiotherapist, Miguel Goncalves. The physio revealed that Jota, 28, was so determined to help Liverpool secure its second Premier League title that he postponed his surgery for pneumothorax.
He also had a strong desire to play in Portugal's Nations League final against Spain in June, a game his country triumphed in. Jota persevered through the health issue and met with Goncalves just five hours prior to the fatal accident in Zamora, Spain.
Both Jota and his younger sibling, Andre, lost their lives when the Portugal international's car was involved in the crash. Goncalves shared that the brothers intended to drive to Santander to board a ferry to England, opting to travel in the evening due to cooler temperatures.
Goncalves explained: "I said goodbye to him and his brother, Andre, at around 8:30 pm. His brother was a great companion and decided to go with him, to accompany him on the trip, and that way they would also spend more time together. They were going to travel at night because it was cooler, but they weren't going direct."
The funeral is set to commence on Friday, with the wake scheduled in Sao Cosme at 3 pm, followed by the funeral at 10 am on Saturday. The service will take place at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar, located half an hour from Jota's hometown of Porto, where just two weeks ago he married his childhood sweetheart Rute in a Catholic ceremony surrounded by loved ones.
The car crash happened in the northwestern city of Zamora, Spain
The car crash happened in the northwestern city of Zamora, Spain (Image: AP)
In a heartfelt interview with Record, Goncalves, based predominantly at a hospital in Porto, shared his thoughts: "Diogo was very aware of his professionalism. They were only supposed to arrive in Santander today (Thursday), catch the boat, and then go to England.
"The family would arrive later by plane, organize their lives over the weekend and then, on Monday, they had a medical appointment scheduled in Liverpool to assess the situation."
Jota, father to three, took alternative travel arrangements instead of flying as it posed a health risk; he chose to use the Brittany Ferries service from Santander set to dock in Plymouth, Devon, on Friday morning local time.
Tributes are laid for the forward at Anfield
Tributes are laid for the forward at Anfield (Image: Getty Images)
Goncalves emphasized Jota's commitment to his profession and condemned baseless social media speculation that had suggested the forward had been indulging in pre-crash festivities.
The physio added: "I've read some things on the internet that are regrettable, and I've even heard some in the media. To be clear, Diogo and Andre weren't partying at all, they weren't in the so-called 'good mood' life, they had nothing that deserved any repair. Nothing."
Regarding the tragic incident, reports state that a tyre blowout during an overtaking manoeuvre on the A-52 near Zamora, a mere 10 miles from the Portuguese border, led to the accident early Thursday morning; police have commenced investigations into the exact circumstances.
Goncalves said: "He made an extraordinary recovery, he was undoubtedly an unparalleled professional. He strictly followed what I told him, as you could see in the way he was recovering.
"The base of his right lung had collapsed a little, but with the post-surgery physiotherapy, he was practically flawless. When I left him yesterday, he was no longer in pain and was going to return to Liverpool. He was excited, confident in his recovery, and enthusiastic about the next season."