Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota, a forward for Liverpool, and his brother André Silva, also a footballer, tragically lost their lives in a car crash on the A-52 motorway near Cernadilla, in the Spanish province of Zamora. Preliminary investigations suggest that excessive speed combined with a burst tyre, caused by poor road conditions, led to the fatal accident.
The two brothers were travelling in a rented Lamborghini Huracán, which veered off the road and burst into flames after the tyre blew out during an overtaking manoeuvre. According to the Spanish Civil Guard, the incident occurred on a stretch of the A-52 motorway with a speed limit of 120 kilometres per hour. The section has long been criticised for its poor maintenance. Just ten days prior, a woman was seriously injured in a crash at the same location, having to be rescued from the wreckage of her car.
Diogo and André were en route to Santander, with a planned stop in Burgos, according to Liverpool’s physiotherapist. The two had chosen to travel by car instead of by plane due to medical advice. Diogo Jota had recently undergone surgery for a lung injury, and doctors recommended he avoid flying to reduce the risks associated with changes in blood pressure.
Their journey was meant to continue by ferry from Santander to Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. From there, they had planned to drive another 430 kilometres to Liverpool, where Jota was due to report for pre-season training with his club on Tuesday.
The rented Lamborghini, a rear-wheel drive model, reportedly lost control after hitting uneven pavement during the overtaking attempt. The tyre blowout caused the vehicle to swerve and crash, resulting in a devastating fire. The Spanish authorities are continuing their investigation, including efforts to determine the exact speed at which the car was travelling at the time of the accident.
Diogo Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, travelled to the Institute of Forensic Anatomy in Zamora to identify the bodies through DNA testing. The tragedy comes just days after the couple celebrated their wedding, which took place in the presence of their three children. Psychological support has been made available to the family during this devastating time.
The funerals for Diogo and André will take place tomorrow at 10 am at the parish church of Gondomar, near Porto, the town where the brothers were born and raised.
