Two months ago, Diogo Jota won the Premier League with Liverpool. Less than two weeks ago, he married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
Today, the soccer world is grieving after Jota and his brother, André Silva, died in a car crash early on Thursday morning in Spain.
Here’s what we know so far:
The accident occurred on the A-52 road in Zamora, northwestern Spain and was caused by a “burst tire while overtaking,” according to Spain’s Guardia Civil. The vehicle that Jota and his brother were left the road and subsequently caught fire, officials said.
The authorities identified the remains based on documents recovered at the scene of the accident, as well as the car’s license plate, CNN Portugal reported. Further forensic testing at a morgue in Zamora confirmed the brothers’ identities, CNN Portugal reported.
For investigation, the remains were moved to the nearby town of Puebla de Sanabria, a source close to the sub-delegate of the Spanish government in Zamora told CNN. The players’ family is now present in Puebla de Sanabria to finalize the administrative requirements which allow the remains to be released and returned to Portugal, CNN Portugal reported.
The 28-year-old forward Jota enjoyed five successful seasons with Liverpool, scoring 65 goals and winning three major trophies. Silva was also a professional soccer player, most recently with Futebol Clube de Penafiel in the Liga Portugal 2, the country’s second division.
Tributes from the soccer world and beyond have been flooding in throughout the day, including from the likes of Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, NBA legend LeBron James and the United Kingdom’s Prince William.
A wake is expected to take place Friday in the brothers’ hometown of São Cosme in Gondomar, Portugal, CNN Portugal reported.