Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically died in a car crash in Spain last year, with tributes having been paid by Liverpool on the anniversary of its former star's passing
23:55, 02 Jul 2026Updated 00:00, 03 Jul 2026
Diogo Jota celebrates scoring for Liverpool
Former Liverpool star Diogo Jota tragically died last year(Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
It has been a year since Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically lost their lives in a devastating car crash. Portugal faces Croatia in its World Cup round of 32 fixture on Thursday, on the eve of the anniversary of the brothers' deaths.
The Portugal squad has donned wristbands throughout their World Cup campaign in tribute to their former teammate Jota. The forward was also displayed on stadium screens prior to the team's opening fixture against DR Congo, a gesture that visibly moved his parents in attendance.
Jota's final competitive appearance saw him lift the Nations League trophy with Portugal, and his wife, Rute, has revealed that representing his country at a World Cup was the striker's lifelong ambition. His international colleague Ruben Neves has disclosed that he still sends Jota WhatsApp messages to this day.
Liverpool and the broader footballing community were left devastated last year by the sudden passing of Jota, 28, who had recently celebrated clinching the Premier League title with the Reds. The Portugal international had also just tied the knot with his long-term partner, Rute, a mere 11 days before his death, and Jota's wife recently shared his wedding speech on their anniversary.
His younger brother Andre, 25, was likewise a professional footballer, plying his trade for Portuguese club Penafiel. The pair were travelling together to the Spanish city of Santander, as Jota had been advised to avoid flying following lung surgery, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The siblings had planned to catch an overnight ferry to England, disembarking at Portsmouth. Unfortunately, the Lamborghini Huracan in which Jota and his brother were travelling left the carriageway.
Explaining the rationale behind Jota's travel arrangements, CNN Portugal's Rui Laura said: "The surgery he had had was lung surgery, and he had been advised against flying following this.
Photo of Diogo Jota and Rute Cardoso
Diogo Jota married Rute Cardoso shortly before his death(Image: Rute Cardoso/Instagram)
"He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross the ferry and reach the UK that way, and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother."
The police examination of the incident determined that a tyre blowout had taken place while the Liverpool attacker was attempting to pass another vehicle on the A-52, approximately 70 miles west of Valladolid. The vehicle then left the roadway at roughly 12.40am and rapidly became engulfed in flames.
Fire crews, along with emergency responders and the Civil Guard, extinguished the blaze, but it was confirmed that both occupants had perished.
A statement from the Civil Guard in Zamora read: "The investigation into the crash is being carried out by Civil Guard traffic officers. We believe the car suffered a blowout from the marks on the road. The full police report, once it is completed, will be submitted to a duty court in Zamora, which has launched an ongoing judicial investigation into this crash.
PORTO, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 16: A memorial for Diogo Jota is seen on a screen in the stands during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Portugal and Armenia at Estadio do Dragao on November 16, 2025 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Portugal is set to pay tribute to Diogo Jota at this year's World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
"That report is going to take time to complete, probably about four or five days, but possibly longer. At this moment in time, it is impossible to say exactly what speed the car was going, but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks. What I can confirm is that no other vehicle was involved and no one else was hurt."
Jota featured 37 times for Liverpool throughout the 2024/25 season, netting nine goals and contributing four assists. Portugal's fixture on the anniversary of his passing will prove an emotionally charged moment for his international colleagues, though manager Roberto Martinez has outlined how the attacker remains a source of inspiration for the squad.
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"Diogo is our light," Martinez said to The Athletic ahead of the World Cup. "Diogo is our reference of wanting to do or needing to do what his dream was, which was winning titles for Portugal, like he did winning the Nations League. He was a big part of what we built in the dressing room.
"He wanted to win the World Cup, so it becomes a bit of a responsibility, an example, because Diogo was the pure example of believing in whatever could be possible, always with that tenacity, always finding the answer in the right moment in the difficult moment in the game."