Watch: Devastation as Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota dies in Spain car crash

The Spanish Civil Guard said he was found dead alongside his brother, after their car went off a road in the province of Zomora and caught fire. His brother André Silva, who played for Portuguese second-tier club FC, was just 25.

The Portuguese Football Federation said it was devastated to learn of the news, adding their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football. Police said no other vehicles were involved in the incident and investigations are continuing.

In a statement, they said: "A road accident occurred at 12.30am this morning at kilometre 65 of the A-52 motorway, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A vehicle left the road and everything indicates a tyre burst while overtaking. As a result of the accident, the car caught fire and both people were killed.”

Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League winning side in the 2024-25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. Liverpool Football Club said they are devastated by the news and that it was an “unimaginable loss”.

In a statement the Portuguese national team said Diogo Jota was “not only a fantastic player, with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person”.

Jota married his long-term partner, Ruta Cardoso, on June 22 in Portugal. The pair got together in 2013 and have three children together, and three pets.

Jota frequently shared photos of himself and his family on his social media accounts, while his wife had posted images of their holidays together. He recently shared video footage of their wedding on Instagram, with the caption: “A day we will never forget.”

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was among those to share tributes to the 28-year-old. Standing alongside Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram next to tributes laid outside Anfield, she said: “I’m absolutely devastated for his wife, his children and his family. I can’t imagine what they are going through, my son is 28, it is really shocking.

“His life and career had only just started, he’s done an incredible job here at Liverpool Football Club and was one of their greatest strikers and just getting married, having his young children, looking forward to all the great things that he was going to do here and in his life.

“It is just so heartbreaking and devastating to the people who have woke up to the news. It’s hard. I came here for a local government conference and just to hear that sad news, and I’ve been over at Everton today and just seeing the outpouring across the whole of the city is, it is incredible.

“Our condolences and our thoughts today are primarily with Diogo ‘s family and his wife and his children.”

Watch Emily Bonner’s full video news report above.