By Tom Sunderland
Tributes have poured in following the devastating news that Liverpool forward Diogo Jota tragically died in a car crash on Thursday. The accident happened just two weeks after his wedding to partner Rute Cardoso and less than a year after welcoming their third child. Jota is survived by his wife and three children: two sons, Denis and Duarte, and his unnamed daughter, born in October 2024. The news of his passing sent shockwaves through the football world, with fans from Liverpool and beyond paying their respects to the Premier League champion. Following the birth of his daughter, Jota took to social media to share a touching photo of the new addition, with he and his partner’s hands cradling hers. The post was met with an outpouring of congratulatory messages, showing just how beloved Jota was at Anfield and further afield. Former Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Acterberg was among that number as he wrote: “Congratulations Diogo, hope all is well with all.” And one Reds fan responded: “Another win to our team, welcome to the best club in the world.” Another well-wisher added: “Congratulations, wonderful news.” The post was also liked by Ail茅n Cova, the partner of Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. One supporter even speculated that Jota’s third child might one day play alongside Curtis Jones’ daughter, Giselle, who was also born in October last year. Fellow team-mate Darwin Nunez and his partner, Lorena Manas, welcomed a daughter of their own just a few months later in February 2025. Jota and his partner had not yet publicly revealed the name of their daughter when disaster struck this week. The couple first became parents to a son, Denis, in 2021 and announced the birth of their second child, Duarte, in 2023. The Guardia Civil informed BBC Sport on Thursday that Jota and his brother tragically lost their lives just after midnight following a road accident. It is believed that the Lamborghini they were driving swerved off the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle and subsequently caught fire. It’s understood no other vehicles were involved in the incident. A report from El Pais confirmed “fire damage to the bodies prevented the necessary tests from being carried out” to confirm their identities at first. Emergency services were summoned to the scene to put out the fire. Both Jota and his brother Andre sadly died at the scene. “Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota,” read an official statement from the club . “The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre. “Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre鈥檚 family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support.” Meanwhile, the Portuguese Football Federation said it was “devastated” to learn of its player’s death. A statement read: “Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football.”