Diogo Jota's widow reveals what surprised her before fatal crash and shares one of her final text messages

The summer of 2025 ended in tragedy for the Portuguese forward's family, just 11 days after he married his childhood sweetheart. Diogo Jota was travelling through Spain back to England with his brother, André Silva, to report for Liverpool's pre-season training after doctors advised against flying following recent surgery.

Before setting off, his wife sent him a short text wishing him a safe journey, followed by a reminder to stay alert and keep his eyes on the road. It proved to be one of her final messages. When subsequent texts went unanswered, she began fearing the worst.

Unable to reach André either, she tried contacting hotels, hospitals, and local police without success. She eventually reached out to her uncle Vitor, who used his connections within the Spanish traffic police. Overhearing relatives discussing the transfer of bodies to a morgue, an officer soon confirmed to her that both brothers had died.

Writing in the book titled "Diogo Jota: Forever in Our Hearts", the forward's widow admitted she was surprised when her husband began renting sports cars, noting that he had never previously cared for luxury vehicles or flashy accessories.

Jota and Silva were killed in northern Spain when their rented Lamborghini Huracán crashed. Investigators concluded that a tyre blew out while overtaking, causing the vehicle to strike the central barrier and burst into flames, ruling out any third-party involvement.

Rute Cardoso later asked her driver to take the same route to the morgue that her husband had driven. At kilometre marker 64, remnants of the wreckage were still visible. A memorial service for the brothers was held near Porto two days after the accident.

Diogo Jota made 123 appearances and scored 47 goals for Liverpool, playing a key role in their 2024–25 Premier League title triumph. According to the Daily Mail, supporters paid tribute after the tragedy by chanting his name in the 20th minute of matches, and the club retired the number 20 shirt. A permanent memorial at Anfield has honoured his legacy since July.