A tragic traffic accident claims the lives of Diogo Jota and his brother, as the wedding venue transforms into a funeral home.
Just two weeks after their wedding, the same place became a funeral home, leading to a tragic situation.
On the 5th, the funeral of Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his younger brother André Silva was held at the 'Igreja Matriz de Gondomar' church in Gondomar, northern Portugal.
The funeral was attended by the Jota brothers' family, as well as many players and coaching staff from the clubs they were affiliated with during their careers.
From Liverpool, key players such as manager Arne Slot, Virgil van Dijk, Darwin Núñez, Ryan Gravenberch, Andrew Robertson, and Curtis Jones were present.
Fellow teammates from the Portuguese national team also gathered to bid their final farewell.
Manager Roberto Martínez, along with Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Nélson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers), and João Félix (Chelsea) attended to send their respects to the deceased.
Margari da Balseiro Lopes, the Minister for Culture, Youth, and Sports of the Portuguese government, was also present.
Shocking traffic accident and sudden news
The Jota brothers tragically lost their lives in a traffic accident that occurred in Spain on the 3rd.
According to a report by the BBC, they were driving a high-end Lamborghini on the A-52 highway in the Serna Díaz area of northwestern Spain when the accident occurred.
"The Jota brothers' vehicle blew a tire while overtaking another vehicle, causing the Lamborghini to veer off the road, resulting in a fire that claimed the lives of both passengers," the BBC reported.
Forensic examination confirmed that the deceased were Liverpool player Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.
The accident occurred at an especially tragic time. Jota passed away just 11 days after marrying his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, on the 22nd of the previous month.
The couple already had three children.
A thriving football career meets tragedy at its peak
Born in 1996, Jota was a skilled forward who represented the Portuguese national team in 49 matches.
He made his Premier League debut after being loaned from Atlético Madrid to Wolverhampton in the summer of 2017, showcasing impressive scoring ability with 44 goals in 131 matches over three years.
After joining Liverpool in 2020, Jota played in 182 official matches over five years, netting 65 goals.
Acquired by former manager Jürgen Klopp, Jota continued to be a key rotation member under the current manager, Arne Slot.
In the 2024-2025 season, he appeared in a total of 37 matches and scored 9 goals.
Recently, Jota was experiencing the best moments of his football career. Liverpool secured the Premier League title for the 2024-2025 season, and the Portuguese national team won the UEFA Nations League against Spain last month.
Just as he was collecting trophies with both his club and national team, and celebrating his recent wedding, sudden tragedy struck.
A grieving funeral home
The funeral took place at the same church where the Jota couple held their wedding.
Teammates from the Portuguese age group national teams, FC Porto, and Wolverhampton, including Neves, carried the coffin to the burial site.
His widow, Cardoso, clutched her husband's coffin as she walked, unable to cease her weeping. The mother of the Jota brothers, who lost both her sons at once, also followed the coffin, speechless and in despair.
Portuguese media outlet ‘O Jogo’ reported, "For over 40 minutes after the funeral began, no one spoke, creating a profoundly sorrowful atmosphere."
Meanwhile, Liverpool has decided to pay the remaining two years of Jota's contract in a lump sum, estimated to be around 24 billion KRW.
Image Sources: instagram 'liverpoolfc', instagram 'diogoj_18'
