Diogo Jota dead: Everything we know from what caused fatal crash to reason for car trip

Liverpool striker Diogo Jota died in a car crash in Spain after a Lamborghini he was travelling in veered off the road and burst into flames following a tyre blowout. Tributes from the football world and beyond flooded in for the 28-year-old father of three, who had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days ago.

Jota was found dead alongside his brother Andre Silva following the crash on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12:40am on Thursday. The supercar they were in ended up on the side of the road in a fireball wreckage.

A source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed “a possible speeding incident” was being looked at. Liverpool said the club was “devastated” by the news and that it was an “unimaginable loss”.

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The Portuguese Football Federation also said it was “devastated” to learn of the tragedy, adding: “Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football.” Police said no other vehicles were involved in the incident. As the football world mourns the passing of the popular forward, here’s what is known about the accident that claimed his and his brother's lives.

Police confirmation

The first public confirmation of the deaths of Jota and Silva came from the Civil Guard in Zamora, with the footballers having been confirmed as dead by medical personnel shortly upon their arrival on the scene.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Zamora said: "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.

“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 at 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."

First picture of crash

After news of the deaths were confirmed, the first pictures from the incident were released which showed the harrowing wreckage of the Lamborghini by the side of the road. In the photo, several medical personnel can be seen stood around the burnt vehicle.

Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region published a statement where they confirmed the crash which read: "The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident, and the vehicle was on fire.

"1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident. From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene."

'Road full of potholes'

Following the death of Jota and Silva, much has been made of the A52 where the deaths occurred, with many taking to social media to criticise the safety of the road. While there has been no indication thus far on whether the condition of the road played a role in the crash, that hasn't stopped people expressing frustration at the supposed "deplorable" state of the road.

One X user said: "This is the highway/goat track where Diogo Jota and his brother died. I don't know if they had a puncture, or if an animal got in their way.... What I do know is that the A52 is in a deplorable state."

A second wrote: "You're absolutely right, when I come from France and I go to Vigo, I go through there and I'm always afraid of that road with all the potholes it has, it can break the suspension."

While a third added: "I drove around it once in 2023, and I found it to be in a terrible state. I can't conceive that it is still not being resurfaced." And a fourth said: "The puncture is easy, the road is full of potholes, it's a real danger."

Identity confirmed by police

After the Lamborghini had veered off the road, it had burst into flames and was later put out by firefighters with the inferno having spread to nearby vegetation. Due to the vehicle being incinerated, the identities of Jota and Silva were confirmed by way of documents found at the scene of the accident and in the car.

It's understood that it was a license plate that proved to be the vital piece of evidence that allowed authorities to confirm the deaths of the two brothers. Forensic experts who are conducting the autopsy have been forced to turn to DNA tests.

Reason for car trip

With Liverpool's pre-season set to commence next week, it was learned that Jota was en route to the port city of Santander in order to catch a ferry back to the UK when the car crash occurred.

Jota, alongside his younger brother, opted to drive after the Portugal international had been advised not to fly after going under the knife for lung surgery. The pair were set to stop in Benavente overnight before taking the ferry to Portsmouth in order to return to Merseyside in what would have been his sixth season at Anfield.

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