Heartbroken Liverpool players have been sharing their tributes and memories of Diogo Jota after his death in a car accident at 28.
As news of the tragedy broke, clubs fans and icons from sport far and wide shared their condolences, with Jota’s team-mates also reflecting on the devastating loss online.
Darwin Nunez was the first of the Liverpool players to post, sharing a picture of him and Jota celebrating a goal at Anfield.
The Uruguayan wrote: ‘There are no words to comfort you for so much pain. I will always remember you with your smile, as a good teammate on and off the field.
‘I send all my strength to your family, from where I am sure he will always be with you, especially your wife and three children. RIP Diogo and Andre.’
Luis Diaz added a post to his Instagram story, with Jota holding up the shirt with Diaz on the back at the time the Colombian’s father had been kidnapped.
Darwin Nunez (right) was the first to share his tribute to Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota
Nunez said he will always remember Jota’s smile and said there are no words of comfort
Luis Diaz shared this image of Jota celebrating a goal by holding his shirt up
Stefan Bajcetic posted this picture and caption of them on his Instagram story
He added a message on his grid, writing: ‘They only say we lose friends when we forget them. I will never forget you my brother.’
Stefan Bajcetic posted a picture of them training together on his Instagram story along with the caption: ‘You will be remembered my friend.’
Harvey Elliott wrote a long tribute on his Instagram story, saying he felt lucky to have shared memories and that ‘it is hard to put into words how much this hurts us’.
‘Jurgen Klopp, Jota’s former manager and the man who brought him to Liverpool, wrote: ‘This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it!
‘I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother André. Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much! All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace – Love J.’
Former team-mate Roberto Firmino added: ‘When words fail, there are only inexpressible groans. And for that reason I get on my knees, praying that the Holy Spirit comforts the heart of Rute, Dinis, Duarte, Mafalda, Seu Joaquim, Lady Isabel and all the family and friends. It was a privilege and an honor to have known and lived such special moments alongside you. Rest in Peace to my brother Jota, and Andre.’
Jota had been travelling in a car with his brother Andre, who is also a 26-year-old footballer, when the vehicle went off road and the tragic news comes just two weeks after Jota married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in Porto.
The tyre of his Lamborghini, reportedly a £150,000 Urus SUV, is said to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal.
The supercar came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames at around 12.35am, also igniting the surrounding vegetation.
Harvey Elliott said he couldn’t believe that Jota was gone and felt lucky to have shared memories
Diaz add this heartfelt caption to his post on Instagram after the death of his friend
Diaz also posted this picture of him and Jota smiling together at the Liverpool training ground
The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved.
Liverpool FC said in a statement that the club is ‘devastated’ by the tragedy and that Diogo’s family, friends and fans had suffered an ‘unimaginable loss’.
Flowers and tributes are being laid outside Anfield today, with many fans in tears.
Jota had just married Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old mother of his three children and partner since the age of 16.
He had 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.
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 then confirmed by the Portuguese Football Federation at around 8am.
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 weeks after he married Rute Cardoso and in a social media post wrote, ‘Yes to forever.’
Jota helped Liverpool to the Premier League last season and his loss has rocked the club
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 pair got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together – two sons and a daughter who was born in November.
Jota frequently shared pictures of him and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland.
They also have three pet beagles.
On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: ‘A day we will never forget.’
