The death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota in a car crash aged 28 has left the football world in shock.
Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, both died after the Lamborghini they were travelling in crashed in the Spanish province of Zamora.
BBC Sport has been told the 28-year-old was on his way to return to Liverpool for pre-season training by ferry because he had undergone minor surgery, so doctors advised him against flying.
Jota married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children, just 11 days ago.
Liverpool said his death is a “tragedy that transcends” the club, while fans gathered outside Anfield to lay tributes.
Reds manager Arne Slot said Jota was “the essence of what a Liverpool player should be”.
BBC Sport understands a wake for Jota and his brother will take place on Friday afternoon before their funeral on Saturday in Porto, Portugal.
What happened?
Jota and 25-year-old Silva, also a professional footballer for Portuguese second-tier club Penafiel, were killed after their car left the road because of a tyre blowout that occurred while overtaking another vehicle.
The Guardia Civil told BBC Sport both men died at about 00:30 local time on Thursday.
With Jota intending to return to Liverpool by boat, this is understood to mean he was travelling by car from Porto to take a ferry from Santander in northern Spain.
There are ferry routes from Santander to Plymouth and Portsmouth in the south of England.
Zamora, close to the Portuguese border, is about 190 miles from Porto and a similar distance from the port.
It is understood that Jota had also travelled by road and sea to get to Porto for his wedding.
Liverpool and Ronaldo lead tributes
Liverpool led the tributes to Jota, saying the club was “devastated” by such an “unimaginable loss”.
He scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, helping them win the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022 and the Premier League title last season.
The club put out further statements later on Thursday, with boss Slot paying tribute to a player who had become “a loved one to all” at the club.
The Dutchman added: “Someone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family.”
Slot said he last spoke to Jota to congratulate him on Portugal winning the Nations League and wish him luck for his wedding.
“In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this,” he added.
Slot said Liverpool and their supporters are “all with” Jota’s family and the “the same can be said of the wider family of football”.
Reds captain Virgil van Dijk said it was a “privilege” to have played alongside Jota and been his friend off the pitch.
“We will miss you beyond words and never forget you,” added the Dutchman. “Your legacy will live on, we will make sure of it.”
Left-back Andy Robertson said Jota was “the most British foreign player” he had met.
In an Instagram post, the Scotland international added: “The last time I saw him was the happiest day of his life – his wedding day. I want to remember his never-ceasing smile from that magical day. How much he was bursting with love for his wife and family.”
A statement from the club’s owners and leadership group, Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon, said they have been left “numb with grief” as they offered condolences to Jota’s family.
They added: “Beyond the player that we all knew was a wonderfully humble human being, he was sincere, intelligent, funny, tough and created connections with people everywhere he went. He had a zest for life that was utterly contagious.”
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group chief executive of football Michael Edwards said in a statement: “This is a tragedy that transcends Liverpool football club.”
They added the club will look to honour Jota with the “respect and affection” he deserves in the coming days, but for now, “express a love that is filled with deep sorrow and pain” after losing someone “truly irreplaceable”.
Jota had previously played for Pacos de Ferreira, Atletico Madrid, Porto and Wolves – for whom he netted 44 goals in 131 games – before joining Liverpool in 2020.
His final match was for Portugal in their UEFA Nations League final win against Spain. He scored 14 goals in 49 internationals.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo wrote on social media: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, you had just got married.”
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo sent his condolences to Jota’s family, wife and children, and added: “I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo e Andre. We will miss you.”
Jurgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager who signed Jota for the Reds, said he was “heartbroken”.
“Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father,” the German coach posted on Instagram.
“We will miss you so much.”
Fans gather at Anfield
Thousands of football fans gathered at Liverpool’s home ground, Anfield, on Thursday to pay their respects.
They laid tributes at the club’s Hillsborough disaster memorial, with a sea of flowers, football shirts, scarves, balloons and flags outside the stadium.
Lifelong fan John Barlow from Leyland in Lancashire, a survivor of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, said he was “absolutely devastated” when the news broke and had to stop what he was doing at work to travel to Anfield.
Jota was a fan favourite, respected as a tenacious player on the pitch but also known to supporters as a laid-back and outgoing character off the pitch.
“The success that he has helped bring to this city will never be forgotten”, said Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region.
Liverpool have opened physical and digital books of condolence, and supporters and members of the public can sign the physical book at Anfield, external from Thursday until Sunday.
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