Liverpool and Portuguese National Team Star Diogo Jota Dies in Horrific Car Accident in Spain

Portuguese international striker Diogo Jota, star of English club Liverpool, and his brother Andre Felipe (26 years old) died in a horrific car accident early Thursday morning in the Zamora province in northwest Spain, according to the official account of the Portuguese national team on the "X" platform.

Spanish police reports indicated that the accident occurred at 12:30 after midnight on the A-52 highway near the municipality of Puebla de Sanabria, where the car veered off the road, crashed, and caught fire. The Spanish Civil Guard agency (Guardia Civil) confirmed that Jota and his brother died upon the arrival of the rescue teams.

Initial investigations suggested that a tire explosion of the car (a Lamborghini) while Jota was attempting to overtake another vehicle may have been the cause of the accident. The British newspaper "Daily Mail" quoted eyewitnesses saying that the fire quickly spread to surrounding vegetation, hindering firefighting and rescue operations.

The accident occurred just a few days after Jota's wedding to his fiancée Rute Cardoso on June 22, where he posted photos from the wedding ceremony on his Instagram account with the caption: "Yes to forever." In an interview published last Wednesday, he described himself as the "happiest man in the world."

Jota (28 years old) joined Liverpool in 2020 and played a significant role in the team's achievements, including winning the English Premier League title. He was also one of the key players for the Portuguese national team, scoring 14 goals in 48 international matches and contributing to his country's victory in the UEFA Nations League.

Liverpool FC and the Portuguese Football Federation mourned his death, while Spanish authorities have launched an extensive investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident in detail.