Remembering Diogo Jota and André Silva
- therookiereporters
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
Liverpool and Portugal striker Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, a 25-year-old dedicated professional for Portuguese second division side Penafiel, tragically lost their lives in a devastating car accident. The incident occurred in Zamora when a tyre on their vehicle suffered a blowout while they were overtaking, causing the car to veer off the road and burst into flames.
As news of the tragedy spread, the footballing world paused in collective grief as shockwaves were sent through the global football community. Flags outside Anfield Stadium, Liverpool FC’s home stadium, have been lowered to half-mast in remembrance of Jota and both physical and digital books of condolence have been opened up to fans to sign, leave messages and pay their respects to Diogo and André. A minute’ silence was also held last week before the women’s Euros matches on Thursday and Friday as a tribute to the brothers.
André Silva, Jota’s younger brother, and a dedicated professional in Portugal’s second division, lived more quietly in the shadows of the sport’s spotlight. He would kick-start his junior career at Gondomar Sports Club, which is within the Porto district, where he would play for 3 years before moving to Porto from 2011-2017. During André’s time at Porto he would go on loan to Portuguese side Padroense Futebol Clube. After Porto, he would move on to Futebol Clube Paços de Ferreira for two seasons followed by Famalicao for one season, and then Boavista for a season. 2021 would see André make his Senior career debut with Gondomar for 2 seasons before heading to Penafiel from 2023, where his time at the club was cut devastatingly short in 2025, following his tragic death.
Diogo Jota’s legacy, achievements and far-reaching influence have prompted the tributes that have been rolling out across social media and outside Anfield Stadium, gifts of flowers, jerseys, scarves and handwritten notes have been left in remembrance – a true testament to how loved, appreciated and valued Jota was as a player, a teammate and a person. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp also shared a touching tribute on social media, saying “we will miss you so much” and the Wolverhampton Wanderers (Jota’s former team) have said that “the memories he created will never be forgotten”.
When Jota arrived in Wolves in 2017, it was just a loan. Little did fans know, that transfer would eventually become permanent and Jota would leave a truly profound legacy at the club as a spectacular player who etched his name forever in the legacy of Portuguese football. Scoring crucial goals for the Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota allowed fans to experience the true magic of Wembley Stadium. Even when the result did not go their way, Jota delivered unforgettable performances and watching their team play under the Wembley lights is something that the fans will never forget. When Jota scored the winner against Manchester United - he allowed them to experience the true power of the sport. That was the player all fans knew - Diogo Jota Silva, the player who did the unthinkable. The bicycle kick against Pyunik Yerevan; a goal that Wolves fans will never forget. Wolves will always remember Jota as a spectacular player, who always played with a smile and never stopped believing.
Throughout his remarkable career, Jota proved instrumental in securing several major trophies for his clubs. At Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota helped the team win the EFL Championship title in the 2017–18 season, a triumph that saw Wolves promoted to the Premier League and marked a pivotal turning point in the club’s modern history. However, it is at Liverpool where his legacy has been secured. Jota won it all with Liverpool where he had an immediate and powerful impact. He was part of the squad that lifted the FA Cup in 2021–22 and the EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) in 2021–22. Jota also contributed to Liverpool’s win in the FA Community Shield in 2022 and most importantly for Reds fans, the premier League title in 2024/25. He made over 182 appearances, scoring 65 goals across 5 seasons and became renowned for his outstanding dribbling ability and pace.
Just weeks ago, Jota married childhood sweetheart and mother of his three children, Rute Cardoso. Diogo and Rute’s love story was something out of a fairytale, with the pair being together from the age of 16 and finally tying the knot on the 22nd of June, in the footballer’s home city of Porto. Speaking on his marriage, Jota said he was “the lucky one” to be marrying Rute, who also shared a post to her social media with the caption “my dream came true”.
We keep the family, friends and everyone who knew Diogo and André in our thoughts and prayers. May they rest in peace.
Written by: Gemma Hickey, Alannah Watson and Evelyn Gibson
