Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota’s wife makes first statement since his tragic death weeks after their wedding

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Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota’s wife makes first statement since his tragic death weeks after their wedding

The Liverpool FC footballer tragically died in a car crash in Spain aged 28

The wife of Liverpool FC player Diogo Jota has now released a statement following his tragic passing earlier this month.

Jota, 28, and his 25-year-old brother, footballer Andre Silva, were involved in a fatal car crash around 12:30am (BST) in Spain on 3 July, with the Spanish Guardia Civil confirming the pair were found dead after their car went off a road near the city of Zamora.

According to the Guardia Civil, the brother's car veered off the road before crashing and catching fire. The emergency services rushed to the scene, but they were unable to save them. Police said no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Heartbreakingly, just 11 days before the crash (22 June), the Portuguese footballer married his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso in a ceremony in Porto.

Cardosa has now released a statement following her husband's untimely passing, sharing several photos from their wedding, which took place a month ago today.

"1 mês do nosso 'nem a morte nos separa'," she captioned the post in Spanish.

"Para sempre, A tua branquinha."

Roughly, the message translates to: "1 month [since we said], 'Until death do us part'. For ever, Your [bride]."

Cardoso is also the mother of his three young children; Denis, born in 2021, and Duarte, born in 2023. They also welcomed a baby girl last year, though her name is yet to be revealed.

Just hours before the heartbreaking news hit headlines, Cardosa had shared a video from their wedding on her Instagram.

In the video, which is captioned 'A day we will never forgot', the couple could be seen spending the special day with their three children, with tons of shots showing the couple posing with each other.

Liverpool FC player Diogo Jota passed away this morning (3 July) aged 28 (Instagram/@rutecfcardoso14)
Liverpool FC player Diogo Jota passed away this morning (3 July) aged 28 (Instagram/@rutecfcardoso14)

Jota was part of Liverpool’s Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances.

The Portuguese Football Federation said it was 'devastated' to learn of the brothers' deaths, adding: "Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football."

Liverpool FC has also since shared a statement, which said they were 'devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota'.

Jota was part of Liverpool’s Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances.

The Portuguese national team added: "Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents.

"He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community."

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@rutecfcardoso14

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