By Josh Payne
Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota has died in a car crash in Spain after a Lamborghini he was travelling in veered off the road and burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout.
Tributes from the football world and beyond flooded in for the 28-year-old father of three, who had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days ago.
Jota was found dead alongside his brother Andre Silva following the crash on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday.
Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking.
Liverpool said the club was 鈥渄evastated鈥 by the news and that it was an 鈥渦nimaginable loss鈥.
The Portuguese Football Federation also said it was 鈥渄evastated鈥 to learn of the deaths, adding: 鈥淭heir deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football.鈥
Police said no other vehicles were involved in the incident.
Liverpool fans started leaving tributes outside Anfield on Thursday morning 鈥 with flowers being laid with messages including 鈥淭hanks for everything, Diogo鈥.
Jota was part of Liverpool鈥檚 Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances.
He joined the Merseyside club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 鈥 winning three major trophies.
Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota鈥檚 family 鈥渁ll the strength in the world鈥 following the Liverpool forward鈥檚 death.
A translated version of his message on Instagram said: 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 make any sense.
鈥淛ust now we were together in the national team, just now you were married.
鈥淭o your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.
鈥淚 know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.鈥
In its own statement, the Portuguese national team said: 鈥淒iogo Jota 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.
鈥淗e had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community.鈥
Jota and his wife got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together 鈥 two sons and a daughter who was born in November.
He 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: 鈥淎 day we will never forget.鈥
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons the whole House 鈥渋s heartbroken by this news鈥, adding: 鈥淚 wanted to send our sympathies to his family on behalf of the whole House.鈥
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Jota鈥檚 death was 鈥渄evastating news鈥 and 鈥渢here are millions of Liverpool fans, but also football fans, and non-fans, who will also be shocked by this鈥.
Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said he was 鈥渉eartbroken鈥 by the news and that Jota鈥檚 death was a 鈥渉uge loss to our city and the world of football鈥.