Footballer Diogo Jota published his final social media post less than 24 hours before his tragic death in a car crash aged 28.
The Liverpool star is believed to have been travelling in a car in northern Spain with his brother Andre, 26, who is also a footballer and feared dead.
Jota’s death tragically came just two weeks after he married his childhood sweetheart and mother of his three children, Rute Cardoso, in Porto.
His final post on Instagram, which was published just 18 hours before Mail Sport reported the news, showed a heartwarming video of he and Cardoso tying the knot.
The video was tragically captioned: ‘A day we will never forget.’
Jota also posted to social media platform X for the final time five days ago to celebrate his new marriage, posting, ‘June 22, 2025. Yes, forever,’ with a series of wedding photos.
Diogo Jota published his final social media post less than 24 hours before his tragic death
The final video which was shared to Instagram was captioned: ‘A day we will never forget’
Jota described himself as the luckiest man in the world in an interview released on Wednesday after the couple walked down the aisle in Portugal.
The crash occurred on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The road in Spain is a key route taken by drivers leaving northern Portugal.
Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash.
‘The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire,’ a statement read.
‘1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident.
‘From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene.’
His death was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation.
He said in a statement: ‘The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, this morning, in Spain.
The footballer also posted to X for the final time five days ago to celebrate his new marriage
Jota described himself as the luckiest man in the world in an interview released on Wednesday after the Liverpool star walked down the aisle with his childhood sweetheart in Portugal
His brother Andre was also a footballer and died in the crash (pictured together in Porto kits)
‘Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.
‘On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players.
‘The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute’s silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women’s European Championship.
‘Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy’.
Jota posted frequently on Instagram in the months leading up to his tragic death, penning celebratory messages after winning both the Premier League with Liverpool and the Nations League with Portugal.
After helping the Reds claim their second Premier League title, and 20th top flight honour in total, he shared a series of photographs from the final day and trophy parade with the caption: ‘No 20. Meant to be. #YNWA.’
One of photographs saw Jota surrounded by friends and family as he celebrated the title triumph at Anfield in May, pictured with Cardoso and his three young children.
Earlier this week, Jota sent Cardoso what proved to be a final public message on Instagram after his wife wrote ‘my dream came true’ following their wedding.
The Portugal international and Cardoso first got together in 2012, when they were teenagers
They have three children, pictured on the Anfield pitch in May after winning the Premier League
Jota also posed on the Anfield pitch with his parents Joaquim Silva and Isabel
‘But I’m the lucky one’: The Liverpool star’s final public message to wife Cardoso on Instagram
In response, he wrote: ‘But I’m the lucky one’.
Jota began his football career at Portuguese outfit Pacos de Ferreira before moving to Atletico Madrid in 2016.
During his time with the Spanish side, he underwent two loan spells at Porto and Wolves before completing a permanent transfer to the Premier League club in 2018.
Two years later, he completed his £41million move to Liverpool – where he made over 100 appearances for the club en route to winning the Premier League title last season.
