Diogo Jota's sudden death alongside his brother rocked the football world in July
Diogo Jota celebrates a goal for Liverpool
Diogo Jota had a phone call with a long-term acquaintance shortly before his tragic death
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Late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota held a private phone call just hours before his tragic death. Jota died in the early hours of July 3 after crashing his Lamborghini Huracan while his brother, Andre Silva, who was in the passenger seat, was also killed.
Jota, who would have turned 29 on Thursday, was driving back to England with his sibling after undergoing a lung operation. However, their car suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking on the way to their ferry in Santander, skidding off the road before it was engulfed in flames.
The former Reds star left behind a wife, Rute Cardoso, as well as three young children. Jota's death was particularly painful, given that he had married his long-term partner Rute just 11 days earlier.
It emerged soon after the accident that he had a phone call with Alvaro Cerqueira, president of Gondomar SC, shortly before the accident. Jota was just nine years old when he started his career with Gondomar, and his younger brother Andre wasn't far behind.
Speaking to JN shortly after Jota's death was confirmed, Cerqueira said: "It was just after 10pm last night [Thursday], we were on the phone and he was fine.
"We spoke almost every week, and I know he was going through a happy moment. When Diogo needed to train during the off-season, he would ask to come here, and we would always make everything available.
"His brother would usually come too, and they would both train. It is difficult to talk at a time like this, but what will remain is the image of two very humble people, who leave a huge void."
Jota spent eight years developing with his hometown club before he was recruited by Pacos de Ferreira in 2013. It was only a few years later that Atletico Madrid snagged his signature, and England's top flight eventually came calling shortly after that.
Diogo Jota's parents (L) follow the coffin of Portuguese football player Diogo Jota carried out of the church after the funeral ceremony of Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva
Diogo and his brother, Andre Silva, were laid to rest in their hometown of Gondomar
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His younger brother, Andre, didn't reach quite the same heights in the pro game but used his experience at Gondomar to great effect, too. In fact, he joined Porto's academy a couple of years before Diogo headed for the Gondomar exit, suggesting the top teams spotted his potential first.
More than a decade after leaving his local team, Jota still maintained those same contacts with those who aided his career. And it's a sign of the man's character that two decades after first joining Gondomar, he was still in touch with his roots.
That view is supported by Wolverhampton local Monica Ferreira, who owns Jota's favourite coffee shop in the Midlands, Aromas de Portugal. And she hailed the former Wolves talisman as a humble hero, who had few airs or graces about him despite his star profile.
Former Wolves stars Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves with coffee shop owner Monica Ferreira
Coffee shop owner Monica Ferreira spoke highly of Jota, who was once a frequent customer
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"He was a normal customer. He was very polite, very humble as well, like everyone knows. And he was very nice with everyone. After his first visit to the coffee shop, he was a regular. Every time he could come to the coffee shop, he was coming with his wife.
"We did some dinners with [former Wolves midfielder] Ruben Neves as well. They were very friendly. Really nice people. Everyone is devastated with the news."
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