By Emeka Blast 
Heartbroken Ronaldo Mourns Diogo’s Death
Portugal football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has led an outpouring of grief following the tragic deaths of his national teammate Diogo Jota and Jota’s younger brother, André Silva, in a car accident in Zamora, Spain, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. The Liverpool forward, aged 28, and André, 25, a player for FC Penafiel, perished when their Lamborghini veered off the A-52 highway and caught fire after a tire blowout during an overtaking maneuver, according to Spanish police reports.
In a heartfelt post on X, Ronaldo expressed his shock and sorrow, writing in Portuguese, “Não faz sentido. Ainda agora estávamos juntos na Seleção, ainda agora tinhas casado. À tua família, à tua mulher e aos teus filhos, envio os meus sentimentos e desejo-lhes toda a força do mundo. Sei que estarás sempre com eles. Descansem em Paz, Diogo e André. Vamos todos sentir…” Translated, it reads: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married. To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”
Jota, who married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso on June 22, 2025, leaves behind three young children. The couple’s wedding, celebrated just days before the tragedy, added a poignant layer to the loss. Ronaldo, who shared the pitch with Jota during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League triumph over Spain on June 8, 2025, in Munich, highlighted their recent camaraderie and Jota’s recent marriage in his tribute.
The football world has been rocked by the loss of Jota, a key figure in Liverpool’s Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup victories, and a vital part of Portugal’s Nations League successes in 2019 and 2025. Liverpool FC issued a statement, saying, “Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother André. We request the privacy of their family, friends, teammates, and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss.”
Tributes poured in from across the globe. Jürgen Klopp, Jota’s former manager at Liverpool, wrote on Instagram, “I’m heartbroken. Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father! We will miss you so much!” FC Porto, where Jota played on loan in 2016-17 and André came through the youth ranks, declared, “FC Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we send our heartfelt condolences.”
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro called the news “unexpected and tragic,” while UEFA announced a minute’s silence at Women’s Euro 2025 fixtures to honor the brothers. Even clubs like Sporting CP, where Jota never played, mourned, stating, “The world of football is poorer.” Posts on X reflected the global sentiment, with @eurofootcom sharing Ronaldo’s tribute and @oneplayr_App noting, “A deeply emotional moment, Ronaldo’s tribute shows how much Diogo meant to the team and country.”
The accident, which occurred near Cernadilla in northwestern Spain, has left the football community grappling with the sudden loss of two young talents. Jota’s 49 caps and 14 goals for Portugal, alongside evangelical his debut in 2019, underscored his legacy as an “extraordinary person,” as described by Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença.
As the football world mourns, Ronaldo’s words echo the collective grief: “It doesn’t make sense.” The Lisbon Herald joins the global community in extending condolences to the Jota and Silva families during this profound loss.
