Cristiano Ronaldo's heartbreaking tribute to Diogo Jota after tragic car crash death

Cristiano Ronaldo says "it doesn't make sense" following the tragic death of Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota.

The deaths of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, also a professional footballer who played for Penafiel, were announced by the Portuguese Football Federation. The two men died after a car in which they were travelling crashed in Zamora, Spain.

Spain's Guardia Civil have said that the Lamborghini the pair were travelling in left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking another vehicle and then caught fire. Jota and his brother died at about 00:30 local time on Thursday.

And Ronaldo, who played alongside Jota for the Portugal national team and the pair won two Nations League titles together, wrote on social media: "It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just 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 Andre. We will all miss you."

The tragic news emerged in the early hours of Thursday morning and the Portuguese Football Federation then confirmed the tragedy. “The Portuguese Football Federation and the entire Portuguese football community are devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva in Spain this morning,” a statement read.

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“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 team-mates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community.

“On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players.

“We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day.”

Liverpool said in a statement on Thursday morning: "Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota. The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre.

"Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support."

The accident came less than two weeks after Jota married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso. The couple have three children together. Jota had 49 caps for Portugal, scoring 14 international goals, and last month won the Nations League for a second time.

He signed for Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club, with nine of those goals coming last season as Arne Slot’s side won the Premier League title.

Jota also lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup with Liverpool, and was a Champions League runner-up in 2022. Jota first came to English football when he joined Wolves in the summer of 2017, initially on loan from Atletico Madrid before the deal was made permanent the following summer.

Jota helped Wolves earn promotion as Championship winners in his first season, and in all scored 44 goals in 131 appearances before joining Liverpool in a deal worth a reported £41million plus add ons.

He began his career with Pacos de Ferreira in his native Portugal before earning a move to Atletico Madrid as a 19-year-old. However, he never played for the LaLiga club, first joining Porto on loan before moving to Molineux where he played under his compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo.

A statement from Porto said: “Porto is in mourning. It is with shock and deep sorrow that we send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks. Rest in peace.”

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Zamora said: "The investigation into the crash is being carried out by Civil Guard traffic officers. We believe the car suffered a blowout from the marks on the road. The full police report once it is completed will be submitted to a duty court in Zamora which has launched an ongoing judicial investigation into this crash.

“That report is going to take time to complete, probably about four or five days but possibly longer. At this moment in time it is impossible to say at exactly what speed the car was going but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks. What I can confirm is that no other vehicle was involved and no-one else was hurt."