The son of factory workers, Diogo Jota grew up in an honest and humble family, batting away luxuries and never even asking for a pair of branded football boots.
With his head firmly on his shoulders, he spent his childhood with a ball under his arm, inspired by his father and grandfather to make it to the biggest stage.
A striker with a predatory instinct, a tireless engine and a smile as cheeky as his finishes, Jota achieved the boyhood dream of kicking a ball outside his parents’ house to lifting Premier League trophies with one of the biggest clubs in the world.
But in a cruel twist of fate, the Liverpool and Portugal star’s career has been devastatingly cut short after he was killed in a tragic car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva, also a footballer, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
His untimely death at 28 has left the world of football mourning one of the game’s brightest modern talents.
The tragedy came only 11 days after Jota married his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, the mother of their three young children, on June 22.
Less than a day ago, Rute shared a video of their special day on social media showing off the celebrations.
The video, which will now take on a heartbreaking poignancy, gave an insight into the pre-ceremony preparations while the Portuguese couple were seen dancing along to a live band.
Diogo Jota playing for Gondomar, his local football team, as a youngster. The Liverpool star has died aged 28 after a horrifying car crash
His parents have previously described how he never asked for branded football boots – and was aware from a young age of his parents’ efforts to keep him training
Jota married his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso (pictured centre) in the last fortnight. He was raised by humble factory workers Isabel (left) and Joaquim (right) – pictured celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League win in May
Jota captioned the post: ‘A day we will never forget.’
Jota and Rute started their relationship in 2012 and after tying the knot, he said: ‘I’m the lucky one.’
He proposed in July 2022 and they got married in their native Portugal in a Porto church.
Sharing a photo of the ceremony, Rute wrote: ‘Yes to forever. My dream came true.’
They also shared sweet pictures of them smiling in front of the altar with their children: son Dinis, four, Duare, two, and a daughter, eight months, whose name has not been revealed.
The Instagram post of their wedding day received over 190,000 likes and more than 1,000 comments.
Jota, whose journey took him from the quiet suburbs of Massarelos in northern Portugal to become a favourite of the Kop, was more than just a winger.
His real surname was Silva, but chose to use the name Jota – the Portuguese pronunciation of the letter J – to distinguish himself from other players named Diogo and Silva in the youth academy.
He was a symbol of tenacity, intelligence and understated brilliance — the kind of player who could be relied on to change the course of a game with a clever run or a clinical strike.
Born Diogo José Teixeira da Silva on December 4, 1996, Jota began his football career at local side Gondomar – named after the municipality where he and his brother attended the Aguiar EB (ensino basico) school, equivalent to primary school.
His mother Isabel was a factory worker making electronics parts for cars, while his father Joaquim worked for a crane company.
And from the get-go, Diogo aspired to be like his father, who had played for UD Sousense, as had his grandfather and his great-uncles – though he knew from a young age this would not come without sacrifice.
‘He saw first-hand the difficulties his parents faced. We were factory workers, we didn’t earn much above the minimum wage and we never hid our limitations from our children,’ a ‘proud and moved’ Joaquim told Maisfutbol in 2020.
He added that it ‘wasn’t easy’ supporting both boys in their pursuit of playing football – but Diogo’s humility and understanding for his parents’ plight was a godsend.
Diogo’s brother Andre Silva, 26, was also a footballer and died in the crash (the pair pictured in their time at Porto – Andre (left) played on the youth team
Both boys attended the Aguiar EB school in Gondomar. The school’s parents association shared images of the duo as youngsters this morning (left: Diogo, right: Andre)
Diogo Jota and Rute Cardoso pictured on their wedding day in Porto in the last fortnight
Diogo and Rute leave the church on June 22. They later said on social media that they had both said: ‘Yes to forever.’
Rute Cardoso, 28, who is the mother of his three children, is the beloved Portuguese athlete’s high school sweetheart and has been by his side since the star. Both pictured in 2012 as teenagers
‘Diogo never asked us for anything. He never asked us or said he would like to have branded football boots. He knew it wasn’t possible, he already had that sensitivity. That’s why he knows how to value things, value life,’ Joaquim said.
As a teenager, he added, Jota would not follow his friends in going for expensive dinners or nights out. His parents bought him a PlayStation – and he would divide his time between football during the day and gaming at night.
‘He never asked for anything,’ Joaquim repeated.
The Aguiar EB School Parents’ Association today said it is mourning the ‘irreparable loss’ of the two, who were born three years apart.
Sharing a tribute alongside photographs of the two as youngsters, the parents’ group said the duo had left ‘an indelible mark on our hearts’.
‘Both began their academic journey at our school, in the first cycle, under the dedicated guidance of teacher Elsa, who always saw in them much more than promises in sports through generous, humble, and dreamy children,’ the tribute read.
‘They were boys who ran in our playgrounds, who smiled in our classrooms, and who carried the name of our school around the world with pride and dignity.
‘The news of (their) early departure fell upon us like a painful silence. You don’t just lose a talent, you lose a story, a shared childhood, an example for the younger ones.
‘We cherish the memories, the simple and true gestures that made them heroes on and off the field.
‘We express our deepest sympathy to the families. May you find some consolation in the certainty that Diogo and Andre will always be remembered with affection and respect by all of us.
‘Your journey through this school will forever be a beautiful and unforgettable chapter. Today we mourn your absence. May you rest in peace.’
Mr and Mrs Jota show off their rings after exchanging vows
Jota was signed by Atletico Madrid but was quickly dispatched on loan to FC Porto, where he made 27 appearances and scored eight goals
He later moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers, where his razor-sharp runs (and equally sharp thinking) quickly made him a fan favourite
Jota was capped 49 times for Portugal’s senior team – alongside several caps for its junior sides (pictured scoring the second goal in a 3-1 World Cup qualifier against Turkey in 2022)
He was an excellent student through school, picking up top grades in his exams despite not studying at home – but left early to focus on his sporting career.
Coaches would ask his parents if they were supplementing his diet to make him play so well. In reality, they confided, he was simply powered by pasta and meat – and his own determination.
After playing for Gondomar, Jota was snapped up by Paços de Ferreira at the age of 16 where his form as a teenager quickly drew interest from across Europe.
The first to move in was Atlético Madrid, but Jota never played at the Metropolitano and was immediately sent on loan to FC Porto, where he established himself as a fast, flexible and intelligent forward capable of playing in any position.
He then moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers — at the time, fighting their way up from the Championship under Portuguese manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
With his razor-sharp runs, close control and eye for goal, Jota quickly became a fan favourite at Molineux.
When Wolves secured promotion to the Premier League in 2018, he was at the heart of it — a tireless, fearless forward capable of scoring and creating in equal measure.
But it was at Liverpool where he would truly unlock his potential.
In September 2020, Jürgen Klopp made a characteristically shrewd move to bring Jota to Anfield for £41 million.
Many wondered how the new arrival would fit into a powerful frontline already boasting Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino.
But Jota quickly silenced the doubters.
He hit the ground running, scoring a debut goal against Arsenal before going on to net a remarkable hat-trick in the Champions League against Atalanta just weeks later.
His instinctive positioning, lightning-fast reactions and versatility made him a nightmare for defenders — and a dream for Klopp.
Jota was signed to Liverpool for £41million in 2020 – racking up 81 goals in all competitions and helping the Reds to FA Cup and Premier League wins
Jota pictured less than six weeks ago celebrating Liverpool’s 2025 Premier League title
Fans have left scores of tributes to Jota outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool in the hours since the news of his death broke
Jota and his brother’s unexpected deaths have prompted an outpouring of grief and tributes from both the footballing world and elsewhere (pictured: a fan laying tributes at Anfield)
In his six seasons at Liverpool, Jota racked up 81 goals in all competitions, helping the Reds to an FA Cup win in 2022 and the club’s second Premier League title in the 2024/25 season.
Though often plagued by injuries — and playing in the shadows of bigger names — he always bounced back, earning a reputation as the ultimate team man. No fuss, no ego. Just football.
Klopp once summed up his star, and his ability to overcome injury, saying: ‘He just has it. He’s a complete package.’
Off the pitch, Jota was a devoted family man and a keen gamer. In 2021, he stunned fans by ranking No.1 globally in the online game FIFA Ultimate Team (later FC Ultimate Team) while still juggling life as a Premier League footballer.
‘He’d play a match, score a goal, then go home and win the Weekend League,’ one fan joked, referring to the weekly online competitions held in the videogame. ‘Unreal.’
Friends described Jota as ‘fiercely loyal’, ‘gentle-hearted’ and ‘completely unchanged by fame.’
And Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of Portugal, said he ‘demonstrated a high level of professionalism and dedication as part of a generation that has taken Portuguese football to the highest level’.
His Portugal career, too, was quietly impressive. Under then-manager Fernando Santos, he made the under-19, under-20, under-21 and the national A team.
Jota was part of the squad for Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, with 49 caps and 14 goals for the Seleção’s senior team – alongside his caps on the junior squads.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: ‘Just three weeks ago, I had the honour of presenting Diogo Jota with a medal after the UEFA Nations League final – a moment of joy, pride, and celebration that will now forever be burned in memory with sorrow.
‘His passion, energy and spirit on the field inspired everyone around him. It is devastating to think that a life so full of joy and potential has been taken far too soon. Rest in peace, dear Diogo. You will not be forgotten.’
