Spanish police reveal preliminary report as investigation continues
Liverpool's Diogo Jota (second from left) celebrates after scoring a goal in English Premier League. The Portuguese striker was at the wheel when the fatal accident took place, Spanish police reveal.
Liverpool's Diogo Jota (second from left) celebrates after scoring a goal in English Premier League. The Portuguese striker was at the wheel when the fatal accident took place, Spanish police reveal.
AFP
Dubai: Spanish police believe Liverpool forward Diogo Jota was behind the wheel and likely driving at excessive speed when his car veered off a motorway and caught fire in the early hours of Thursday, killing both him and his younger brother, Andre Silva.
The 28-year-old, who had recently undergone a lung procedure, was travelling to Santander to catch a ferry to England after being advised not to fly. The crash occurred in the Spanish province of Zamora around 12:30am on July 3, on a remote stretch of road.
Spain’s Civil Guard said on Tuesday that while the investigation is ongoing, all evidence so far — including tyre marks on the road — points to Jota driving too fast when a tyre blew out, causing the Supercar to lose control during an overtaking attempt. The vehicle then burst into flames, trapping both occupants.
Previously, authorities had not confirmed who was driving. However, early reports now indicate that Jota was at the wheel.
The brothers’ deaths have sent shockwaves through the football world. Floral tributes lined the gates of Anfield and the AXA Training Centre in Liverpool, where players returned for pre-season training in mourning.
Cristiano Ronaldo led the tributes, expressing disbelief and sorrow. “It does not make sense,” Ronaldo wrote on social media. “We were only just together in the national team, you had only just got married... I send my condolences and all the strength in the world to your family, to your wife and to your children.”
Jota married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, just two weeks before the accident. The couple have three children.
A funeral was held on Saturday in their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal. The emotional service was attended by friends, teammates, and members of the footballing community from both Liverpool and Portugal.
Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah was among the first players to return to training. Visibly shaken, the Egyptian admitted he was “frightened” to come back after the tragedy.
“Until yesterday, I never thought there would be something that would frighten me about going back to Liverpool after the break,” Salah said. “Teammates come and go, but not like this. It’s going to be extremely difficult to accept that Diogo won’t be there.”
Salah and Jota shared a close bond on the pitch, playing 151 games together and combining for 19 goals.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and made 182 appearances, scoring 65 goals and assisting 26. He was a key player under Jurgen Klopp, contributing to Liverpool’s Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup triumphs.
The final police report is expected later this week and will be submitted to a local judge. The Civil Guard confirmed they are still examining “the marks left by one of the vehicle’s wheels” but reiterated that all signs point to “excessive speed beyond the road’s speed limit.”
The Jota family — who lost both sons in the crash — remain at the centre of an outpouring of grief from the footballing community. As Liverpool prepares for a new season, the void left by one of its most beloved players will be impossible to fill.
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