Liverpool star Diogo Jota was likely driving at “excessive speed” prior to the tragic accident that took his life, claims Spanish police.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The 28-year-old was involved in a fatal crash, alongside his brother Andre Silva, on July 3. It has been suggested that Jota suffered a tyre blowout while driving to a ferry port in northern Spain, leading to his vehicle veering off the motorway.
There has been an outpouring of grief in the wake of Jota’s passing, with messages of condolence flooding in from around the world. Many of his Liverpool and Portugal colleagues attended an emotional funeral in Gondomar.
WHAT CIVIL GUARD SAID
Tributes Laid For Diogo Jota At AnfieldGetty Images Sport
A full investigation into what happened immediately prior to Jota’s car leaving the road remains ongoing, with the Civil Guard examining “the marks left by one of the vehicle's wheels” as “everything points to a possible excessive speed beyond the road's speed limit”.
Spanish police added that: “All the tests conducted so far indicate that the driver of the vehicle was Diogo Jota.”
Jota married childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso just 10 days, on June 22, prior to his death. He has three young children, with his family - who have lost two sons - still coming to terms with a heartbreaking turn of events.
JOTA'S CAREER
Jota joined Liverpool in 2020 after spells at Wolves, Porto and Atletico Madrid, and went on to score 65 goals in five seasons for the Reds, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup along the way. His younger brother, Andre, was an attacking midfielder who played for FC Penafiel in the second tier of Portuguese football.