Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo posted an emotional tribute to his Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota which went viral in mere seconds on Thursday.
Jota, along with his brother Andre, were tragically killed in a car accident in Spain.
Ronaldo took to his social media accounts to write: “Doesn’t make any sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you were married. To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre We will all miss you.”
What happened?
Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his brother died in a car crash in northwestern Spain on Thursday, police said, weeks after the star got married.
The Civil Guard said a vehicle veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight in the municipality of Cernadilla in the province of Zamora, confirming the deaths of Jota, 28, and his brother Andre.
‘Blowout of tyre’
“Everything points to the blowout of a tyre while it (the vehicle) was overtaking,” the Civil Guard said in a statement.
Portuguese football federation president Pedro Proenca wrote on social media that he was “devastated”, calling Jota “an extraordinary person, respected by all his colleagues and opponents, someone blessed with an infectious joy and a reference for his own community”.
Proenca said they had asked UEFA for a minute’s silence before Portugal’s Women’s Euro 2025 match against Spain in Switzerland on Thursday.
“We have lost two champions. The death of Diogo and Andre Silva are irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything possible to honour their legacy every day,” Proenca added.
Three children
Diogo Jota had married his partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, posting a video of their wedding on Instagram just hours before the accident.
They had three children.
The former Atletico Madrid, Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers star scored nine goals in all competitions last season as Liverpool cruised to their 20th Premier League title.
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