This is the tragic aftermath of the devastating crash that killed Liverpool star Diogo Jota after his Lamborghini careered off a road in northern Spain.
The Portuguese forward died in the early hours of Thursday morning while he was travelling in the supercar near Zamora with his fellow footballer brother Andre, 26, who was also killed in the crash.
His untimely death at 28, which has sent shockwaves around the world, comes just ten days after the father-of-three married his childhood sweetheart in what he emotionally described just yesterday as ‘a day we will never forget’.
The Lamborghini’s tyre is believed to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 by the town of Cernadilla, near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal.
The supercar came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames just after 12.30am on Thursday. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved.
Shocking footage shows the charred remains of the supercar flipped over on the side of the main road, with emergency crews seen investigating nearby.
Video obtained by Spanish media shows the car’s trajectory until it left the road and crashed into a fireball. Tyre marks show where the Lamborghini veered off the road, while broken parts of the central reservation can be seen strewn across the ground.
Liverpool and Portugal have paid heartbreaking tributes to the late star, with former teammates including his captain Cristiano Ronaldo left shocked by the footballer’s sudden death.
Jota had just married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, and described himself as the luckiest man in the world to be her husband, sharing moving footage of their wedding day in his final Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon.
The couple married on June 22 in Porto, the footballer’s home city. Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post yesterday and said: ‘My dream come true.’ Jota replied in the comments: ‘I’m the lucky one.’
Diogo Jota (right with his wife) was tragically killed in a car crash alongside his brother Andre (second from left)
This is the first picture of the horrific aftermath of the devastating crash that killed Liverpool star Diogo Jota after his Lamborghini careered off a road in northern Spain
A close-up of the crash scene shows a complete scene of destruction following the fatal accident
Diogo Jota had married his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, in the last fortnight. Here they are pictured on their wedding day
The happy couple with their children Denis, Duarte, and a daughter born in 2024, whose name has not been revealed
Diogo and Rute leave the church on June 22. They later said on social media that they had both said: ‘Yes to forever.’
Jota described himself as the luckiest man in the world in an interview released yesterday after the couple walked down the aisle in Portugal
The couple have three children, pictured on the Anfield pitch in May after winning the Premier League
The Lamborghini crash happened on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The Spanish road is a key route taken by drivers after leaving northern Portugal as they head for the ports of Santander and Bilbao or drive north-east towards France.
Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash and two fatalities at around 12.35am on Thursday morning. Diogo and Andre’s deaths were confirmed by the Portuguese Football Federation.
‘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,’ a statement read.
‘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’.
The Portuguese national football team have said they are ‘devastated’ by the death of Liverpool forward Diogo, adding that he ‘was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents’.
His death was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation.
He said in a statement: ‘The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, this morning, in Spain.
‘Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.
Diogo’s brother Andre (left), 26, was also a footballer and died in the crash
Diogo with his wife Rute and two of their children
The couple got together in 2012, when they were teenagers
Jota moved to Liverpool from Wolves
‘On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players.
‘The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute’s silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women’s European Championship.
‘Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy’.
Jota starred for Liverpool as they won the Premier League title in May and also played for Portugal’s national team and helped it win the Nations League last month.
His brother played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club – including the Premier League title last season
Jota’s death comes just days after he married Rute Cardoso and in a social media post wrote, ‘Yes to forever.’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Jota’s was ‘devastating news’ and that millions of Liverpool football fans would be shocked.
Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher today led tributes from the world of football. He said on Sky Sports News: ‘Just in a state of shock. Not with anyone associated to Liverpool but football in general. It is one of the few times when the football family all come together.
‘I just cannot believe it. For everybody involved but especially his family – his wife and the children they’ve got, it’s devastating for all involved.
Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota’s family ‘all the strength in the world’ following the Liverpool forward’s death
Diogo Jota is pictured in younger photos with his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso
‘I can only imagine how his team-mates feel at Liverpool and Portugal, they must be in a world of pain with his friends and family.’
Carragher added: ‘It just shows us all how quickly life can change. What a summer he’s had, and you get this devastating news that his family have had in the last few hours, you can’t even comprehend it.’
Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota’s family ‘all the strength in the world’ following the Liverpool forward’s death.
A translated version of his message on Instagram said: ‘Doesn’t make any sense.
‘Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married.
‘To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.
‘I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.’
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons the whole House ‘is heartbroken by this news’, adding: ‘I wanted to send our sympathies to his family on behalf of the whole House.’
Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said he was ‘heartbroken’ by the news and that Jota’s death was a ‘huge loss to our city and the world of football.’
Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, with nine of those goals coming last season as Arne Slot’s side won the Premier League title, having also lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
He signed for Wolves, initially on loan, from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2017 and helped Wolves win the Championship in his first season, scoring 44 goals in 131 appearances before his move to Anfield.
Jota began his career with Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira before moving to Atletico, where he did not play a game but was loaned out to Porto.
