Diogo Jota's widow, Rute Cardoso, has recalled the moment she learned of the Liverpool star's tragic passing in a new biography of the Premier League winner's life
Diogo Jota and his wife, Rute Cardoso
Diogo Jota and his wife, Rute Cardoso(Image: Instagram/diogoj_18)
Diogo Jota's wife, Rute Cardoso, has reflected on the life of her late husband in an emotive biography that covers everything surrounding the Liverpool star.
It comes over a year on from the tragic passing of the forward, in a summer that had otherwise been filled with joy. The 28-year-old had won the Premier League with Liverpool, played a crucial role in the UEFA Nations League triumph with Portugal, and tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart.
However, just 11 days after sealing his marriage, everything changed. When driving through Spain with his brother, Andre Silva, Jota's car crashed on the highway, tragically killing them both.
READ MORE: Jurgen Klopp still struggling to process Diogo Jota's death — 'Lost for words'
The soccer world grieved, along with the wider Liverpool family, at the loss of a precious life. That grief still echoes through today, over a year on from Jota's death, with his widow, Rute, reflecting on the moment she heard the news.
Speaking in the emotive new biography, 'Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts,' Rute has discussed the day it all unfolded. She said: "A few minutes after they’d left, I sent Diogo a message saying, 'Safe journey.' He replied with an emoji, and I told him to keep his eyes on the road."
It was the final message he replied to that day. Several messages to Jota were sent after, but hadn't arrived. They were followed by messages to Silva that had the same issue. While Rute tried to get in contact with the pair, first with family, then the hotel they planned to stay at, then with local hospitals, and the Spanish police, before her Uncle Vitor rang the traffic police.
Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts (Reach Sport) is on sale now
Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts (Reach Sport) is on sale now
Then Rute heard her uncle say, "Yes, two brothers," while speaking with the traffic police.
"My sister and I were confused. How did they know they were brothers?" she continued. "Suddenly, my uncle asked me to put Nuno, my brother-in-law, on the line. At that time of night, in the silence, I could make out every word they were saying. I heard my uncle tell him, 'The bodies are being taken away.' I think he added 'to the mortuary,' but that’s when my mind went blank.
"Bodies? My brother-in-law froze. My sister took the phone from him and asked my uncle to speak to her. My main concern was to ring Diogo’s father and tell him, 'You must come here immediately.' I rang Andre’s girlfriend and said the same thing, 'Paula, come over now.'
"I began to realize that it might be true, even though I wanted to believe it was impossible. According to my watch, I walked 11 kilometers that night, just pacing around the yard at my sister’s house."
Two psychologists had arrived to support the family, before a Spanish police officer could confirm the news that she had dreaded, that Jota had died after a car crash.
“I just kept saying to my friend Catarina, 'This is a joke, it can’t be true. There’s no way in the world this can be true!'" Rute added. "My sister pulled me closer to her and spoke to my heart. Only then did I begin to accept. To understand.
"I told the driver I wanted us to take the same route that they had taken. I imagined that, so many hours on, there would be no traces left, but I wanted to know where it had happened. But when we reached that cursed Kilometer 64, what was left of the car was still there."
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It was a tragic moment, one that has left the family grieving in the past year and beyond, while the rest of the Liverpool family comes together at such a difficult time to remember the life of Jota.
Diogo Jota: Forever In Our Hearts (Reach Sport, £16.50/$22) is on sale now. Every purchase supports LFC Foundation, with all LFC profits funding a grassroots football program established in Diogo Jota's name.