A horrific accident claimed the lives of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in the early hours of Thursday morning (July 3, 2025) on the A-52 near the town of Cernadilla, Zamora province, northwestern Spain.

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Jota’s Lamborghini lost control, flipped over and burst into flames after a tire reportedly burst while trying to overtake another vehicle. The incident not only left great pain for his family and fans but also shocked the football world.

According to information from the authorities of the Castilla y León region, the accident occurred at around 00:35 a.m. The 1-1-2 emergency dispatch center received several calls reporting a car accident and fire at Km 65 on the A-52. The Zamora traffic police, the Zamora provincial fire brigade and emergency medical units were quickly dispatched to the scene. However, both Diogo Jota, 28, and André Silva, 26, died. Images from the scene show the Lamborghini burned out and overturned on the side of the road, with debris from the median strip scattered everywhere.

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The initial cause of the accident was determined to be a tire burst while the Lamborghini was traveling at high speed to overtake another car. Video collected by Spanish media shows the trajectory of the car before it went off the road and burst into flames. Tire marks on the road and debris at the scene partly recreate the fateful moment. The A-52 road, where the accident occurred, is an important route connecting northern Portugal with the ports of Santander, Bilbao and northeast towards France.

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Family vacation packages

Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota had the happiest day of his life when he married his childhood friend Rute Cardoso on June 22 in his hometown of Porto. Just hours before the crash, Jota shared a photo of the wedding on Instagram, calling it a “day we will never forget” and calling himself “the luckiest man in the world”. Rute, the mother of Jota’s three children – Denis, Duarte and a baby girl born in 2024 – also posted happy pictures with the caption: “My dream has come true”. The couple, who started dating in 2012, had built a happy family together before the tragedy.

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Family vacation packages

Family vacation packages

Jota’s younger brother André Silva is also a footballer, playing for Penafiel in Portugal’s lower leagues. Both brothers are known for their passion for football and dedication on the pitch. Diogo Jota, who moved to Liverpool from Wolves in 2020, has won three major honours, including last season’s Premier League title. He is also a mainstay of the Portugal national team, making nearly 50 appearances and helping them win the Nations League last month.

The Portuguese Football Federation, through its president Pedro Proença, expressed its deep sorrow: “Diogo was not only an excellent player but also a great person, respected by his teammates and opponents.” The federation has asked UEFA to hold a minute’s silence before the Portuguese women’s team’s match against Spain at the European Championship. The deaths of the brothers Jota and André are considered an “irreparable loss” for Portuguese football.