This is a post I really didn’t want to do. A situation nobody wanted to see happen. Especially for those of us, who last year, saw such a similar event as to what transpired this morning.
Diogo Jota, and his brother Andre, have passed away in a car crash in Spain. Diogo was 28. Andre was 25.
The football world was left shattered this morning as it was announced. Diogo Jota was one of Liverpool’s best players, scoring 65 times and providing 26 assists in 182 appearances at the club since joining from Wolves in 2020.
It still doesn’t feel real. I’m sure that nobody has properly digested the news yet. I don’t remember the last time someone as great as Diogo Jota was taken from us at the peak of his powers. Definitely not since I’ve been watching the game.
Diogo Jose Teixera da Silva was born on the Fourth of December, 1996 in Oporto, Portugal, to parents Joaquim and Isabel Silva. At age 8, he joined the humble youth academy of Gondomar, a fourth division club in Portugal. In the academy, he chose to go by the last name “Jota”, the pronunciation of the letter J in Portuguese to distinguish himself from other players named “Diogo” and “Silva”.
Even after spending 8 years in the academy of Gondomar and being a standout player, Jota was still rejected by bigger clubs like Porto due to his small frame, and as a 16 year old, decided to join Pacos de Ferreira, a yo-yo club between the Portuguese first and second divisions. A year after joining, he made his senior debut against Reguengos in the Portuguese cup, at 17. Over two years in the Pacos first team, he stood out, especially in his final year, scoring 14 times and assisting 10 in 35 appearances.
While at Pacos, Jota lived in a club dormitory, unusual for a first team player. He learned other languages while there, like Spanish and English. In 2016, His talent was noticed by a big club at last, joining Atlético Madrid for 7 million from Pacos. He was immediately loaned out to Porto, keeping his experience up. He was a key player for them in 2016/17, playing 38 times and providing 9 goals and 7 assists, including a goal against Leicester in the Champions League, his first of many against English sides.
In 2017 though, he really got started. Jota joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan from Atlético, one of the first names of Wolves’ Portuguese project. He immediately found a home in England, scoring 16 and providing 7 in the Championship, as one of the league’s best players. After Wolves’ promotion that year, he was signed permanently from Atleti for 14 million, having never played a game with the Spanish side. In the Premier League, Jota became one of the league’s most exciting young stars, netting 9 and assisting 5 as a 21-year old, with Wolves propelling themselves to the Europa League places in their first season. While in 2019/20 he only scored 7 goals and provided 1 assist, in the Europa League, across 14 matches in Qualifying and the competition proper, he scored 9 times and provided 5 assists, even scoring hat tricks against Besiktas and Espanyol.
In 2020, his exploits were once again noticed by a big club, this time Liverpool, and was brought in for 44 million as an exciting versatile attacker. He started well, scoring 13 times and assisting once in 20/21, one of the few bright marks in a 2020/21 season that was terrible for Liverpool. However, it was 21/22 when we really saw the best of him, scoring 15 league goals, enough for 6th top scorer in the league that season. Across all competitions, Jota scored 20 and assisted 6 in 44 matches. Jota’s market value reached 60 million euros, and he was one of the 60 most valuable players in football at the time.
In the summer of 2022, after Liverpool spent over 80 million on Darwin Nunez, Jota’s role changed. His minutes halved from 21/22, and he became an impact sub mainly, but he was one of England’s best impact subs. In a little over 1100 minutes, Jota scored 7 and assisted 4 in the Premier League, just under a goal contribution every 100 minutes, incredible production. In Diogo’s final three seasons with Liverpool as an impact sub, he kept up that rate, scoring 31 and assisting 17 in a little under 5000 minutes.
With Liverpool, Jota won tons of trophies. In 2022, he won the Cup double, winning the League and FA Cups. In 2024, he won the League Cup again, against the Blue Billion Pound Bottle Jobs, and finally, in May 2025, Jota finally won major silverware, securing Liverpool’s 20th English Top Division title, and their second in the Premier League era.
Jota also played a big part in the Portuguese national team. Jota made his debut in November 2019, and made 49 appearances in the 5 and a half years that followed. Jota’s first experience on the big international stage came in 2021, where he was a starter for Portugal as they barely got through the group of death with Hungary, Germany and France, before getting knocked out to Belgium in the Round of 16. Jota’s only goal contributions came against Germany in their 4-2 loss, assisting Ronaldo’s opener and scoring Portugal’s second himself. It was promising, and he played a big role in Portugal’s World Cup qualification the next year, but picked up a serious injury with Liverpool, and missed the tournament in Qatar. It was one of the hardest moments of Jota’s career.
He played a good but lessened role with Portugal in their Euro qualification and Euro 2024 run, picking up minutes in the last group game against Georgia and in the Round of 16 against Slovenia, but couldn’t find any goal contributions in that time.
Jota’s last football contribution ended his Portugal career as happily as he ended his Liverpool one. A month after winning the league with Liverpool, he made an extra time appearance in the Nations League final win against Spain last month, finally winning his first Portugal title. Nobody knew it would be the final time he’d play a match.
Overall in his career, Jota picked up 447 appearances, scoring exactly 150 goals, and picking up 78 assists. A very good career by a great player. However, today isn’t about the football.
Today is a day to push the football aside, and come together. In support of Diogo Jota, his family, his wife, kids, parents, friends, and everyone close to him. On June 22nd, under 2 weeks ago, Jota became married to his partner of 12 years, who he went to school with. A relationship built on true love instead of money, a rarity with athletes today.
His three children, the oldest turning four this year, and the youngest just 9 months. They’ll barely have any memories of their father, and face the pain of growing up without him. His partner, who’d spent 12 of their 28 years of life together, will have to pick up the pieces and face potentially the biggest loss she’ll ever have with three young children, having to rebuild a life she thought was secure.
Diogo’s parents, as well, will have to face the worst pain imaginable for a parent; losing not just one, but both of their children on the same night. Having to bury your parents is hard, but having to bury your children is just heartbreaking.
Any of Diogo or Andre’s friends, people who confided in them, who came to them in tough times, won’t have that anymore. Anytime anyone who knew Diogo or Andre and loved them, whenever they see or hear something that reminds them of the pair, will be reminded of the terrible loss last night.
Whenever someone dies, everyone says how great of a person they were, but with Diogo you could see it was true. He was one of the most relatable footballers in the community, he stayed up all night playing FIFA just like the rest of us, he never caused a problem, and seemed like if you got to know him, he’d be a really nice guy. He seemed like a very happy person, and I’m sure he was a really nice person even though I never personally knew him.
I remember during lockdown, watching the Premier League’s FIFA 20 tournament between some of the best players in the league, and seeing Jota beat his future teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold in the final, just months before making his move to Anfield. It was one of the best events during lockdown for me, and I know many fans were as invested as I was.
While we’ve been focusing on Diogo’s death, we can’t underestimate the loss of his brother, Andre Silva. Andre was playing in the Portuguese second division as a forward, and made nearly 100 appearances. He was also studying business management and had graduated this year. He looked to have a bright future in front of him, which was also stolen from us.
This tragedy reminds me of a similar tragedy that hit the hockey world last August, just 11 months ago. Back home for his sister’s wedding, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, one of the best players in the league, while out cycling with his brother, Matthew, was struck by a drunk motorist. Both died. I made a memorial to them as well, and this tragedy takes me right back to late August last year. So much needless loss of life.
This tragedy is a reminder to all of how fragile life can be. So, I tell you. Find a loved one. Give them a hug. Tell them you love them. Never take any moment with them for granted. It can all change so fast. Nobody got to say goodbye to Diogo and Andre, and I’m sure everyone who knew them wishes they had.
Let’s give our prayers to the Silva family, Diogo and Andre’s friends and loved ones, and hope to god that no tragedy like this ever hits the football world again. Rest in peace Andre Silva. Rest in peace Diogo Jota. You will never be forgotten.
“The star that burns twice as bright burns half as long”
– Lao Tzu