&quot: 28-year-old Liverpool striker Jota died in a car accident 11 days after his wedding, and died with his younger brother and only three young children were left behind.

In the early morning of July 3, 2025, a heartbreaking news shocked the world football world. Liverpool striker and Portuguese international Diogo Jota was tragically killed in a car accident in the province of Zamora, Spain, at the age of 28. His younger brother Andre Silva (26), who was walking with him, was also killed in the accident. This tragedy happened when he had just reached the peak of his life: 11 days ago, he held a wedding with his childhood sweetheart Rut Cardoso, and not long ago, he had just won the Premier League championship with Liverpool and won the UEFA Champions League trophy for Portugal.

Jota's last social media update was frozen on July 2, and he released a wedding documentary with the caption "June 22, 2025, yes, forever." Just one day later, fate ruthlessly took his and his brother's lives. The accident occurred 65 kilometers from the A-52 expressway. Preliminary investigation showed that the Lamborghini they were driving might have a tire blowout while overtaking, causing the vehicle to lose control and rushed out of the road and catch a fire. The fire spread rapidly and the two were killed on the spot.

Rota's career is an inspirational model. After transferring to Liverpool from Wolves in 2020, he quickly became a key player of the team, contributing 65 goals and 26 assists in 182 appearances, helping the team win Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup championships. In the national team, he played 49 games for Portugal, scored 14 goals, and made a substitute in the 2025 UEFA Europa League final, winning the championship with the team. He has distinctive technical characteristics and is good at standing up at critical moments. Fans affectionately call him "1.78-meter-78 air dominance" and "microwave player", describing him as always able to quickly bring changes to the team.

However, the impermanence of fate brought this to an abrupt end. Jota's death was not only a huge loss to the football world, but also brought irreparable pain to his family. He met his wife Rut at the age of 13. He has been in love for 17 years and has three children. The oldest is only 5 years old and the youngest is less than 1 year old. His younger brother Andre is also a professional player who plays for Portugal's Penafil team. The departure of the brothers has caused the whole family to grief.

The football community responded quickly. The Portuguese Football Association issued an official obituary, applying for a silence before the Women's European Cup; the official website of Liverpool Club has been changed to a black and white page, and promised to bear the education costs of Ruota's children; UEFA announced that all women's European Cup silence before the Women's European Cup. Stars such as Ronaldo and LeBron James have posted messages to mourn, and a large number of fans gathered outside the Anfield Stadium to offer flowers to mourn.

This tragedy also triggered a profound reflection on traffic safety. The A-52 Expressway has been criticized many times for poor road maintenance and frequent wild animals traveling, but it has not been completely solved for a long time. In the past decade, several professional athletes, including Reyes and Kobe, have died in a car accident. Experts call on professional athletes to drive high-performance vehicles with caution and strengthen training in response to extreme road conditions.

Rota's story is a heavy fable about struggle, love and impermanence. He left at the most glorious moment, leaving behind unfinished dreams, broken family, and the regrets of countless fans. His death reminds us that life is fragile and cherish the present. May the dead rest in peace and the living be strong.