By Liam de Brun
Liam Payne鈥檚 sister has sent a heartfelt message to Diogo Jota鈥檚 family in an 鈥榰tterly heartbreaking鈥 admission. Football fans around the world were left stunned on Thursday morning (July 3) when the news broke that Liverpool striker Diogo Jota was killed in a car crash. The Spanish civil guard confirmed the 28-year-old Portuguese footballer was found dead alongside his brother Andre Silva, after their car went off a road near the city of Zamora. Police said no other vehicles were involved in the incident. Jota had married his long term partner Rute Cardoso on June 22 in Portugal, having got together in 2013. The couple share three children together, two sons and a daughter who was born in November. On Wednesday (July 2), Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: 鈥淎 day we will never forget.鈥 The former Wolves player was part of Liverpool鈥檚 Premier League-winning side in the recent 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. Amid tributes pouring in for Jota and his brother, former late One Direction star Liam鈥檚 sister Ruth Gibbons paid her respects on her Instagram story. Resharing a photo from the Wolves account, Ruth wrote: “Devastating to read this today. 鈥淣o family should have to go through this and in such a public way. It’s utterly heartbreaking. Thinking of their families today.” Ruth鈥檚 brother Liam died at the age of 31 after suffering a fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina on October 16, 2014. Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Arne Slot released a statement to say the club owes it to Jota to 鈥榮tand together and be there for one another鈥 following his passing. 鈥淲hat to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not. All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about. 鈥淔or us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special. 鈥淲e need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves,鈥 he said. Slot added: 鈥淚 could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it. Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool player should be. 鈥淭here were also the parts that not everyone got to see. The person who never sought popularity but found it anyway. Not a friend to two people, a friend to everyone. 鈥淪omeone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family.鈥