🚨 EXPOSED: The Deadly Trap Where Diogo Jota Crashed — Locals Had Been Warning About It for YEARS, Yet Authorities Did Nothing 😱

A hidden danger, ignored for far too long. Diogo Jota’s crash took place on a stretch of road locals had been desperately pleading for authorities to address. Yet, nothing was done.

⚠️ The warnings were loud and clear, but the danger was allowed to grow. Now, the tragic consequences speak for themselves.

Retracing Diogo Jota’s tragic journey shows road plagued with hazards from shut lanes to wild deer ready to leap out

DIOGO Jota’s fateful last journey was fraught with hazards which could have contributed to the car smash tragedy – including wild deer on the highway.

The Sun retraced the route from the crash scene and found the A-52 highway poorly surfaced and dogged by miles of roadworks leading to the death smash scene.

Scene of a car crash on a highway.
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The Scene of the car crash on the A52 highway outside Puebla de Sanabria, Spain,Credit: Darren Fletcher

Burned car parts on the side of a road.
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Wreckage of the £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan at the tragic crash siteCredit: Getty

Liverpool player celebrating with a scarf.
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Liverpool FC star Jota, 28, died alongside his brother André, 25Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

Map showing the location of a fatal car crash in Spain involving Diogo Jota and his brother.
And we encountered two adult deer standing on a side road less than half a mile from the spot where the Liverpool ace’s Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames.

Jota was driving with his younger brother Andre in a hired £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan supercar from Portugal to the northern Spanish port of Santander.

But as soon as he crossed the border, his progress would have been slowed by at least 10 miles of road works.

His acid green Lamorghini left the highway a few minutes’ drive after the end of a section of roadworks at 12.40pm local time on Thursday (11.40pm on Wednesday in the UK).

The speed limit on the section where the car crashed is 120kph – 74.5mph.

Spanish Guardia Civil investigators believe a tyre blowout could account for its fatal change of direction.

But deer could have also triggered a sudden swerve and are a constant hazard throughout this wild, forested region – as attested by warning signs along the route.

Spanish police said they were not actively considering the involvement of wild animals in the smash yesterday, but did not rule out the possibility.

Other animal hazards reported to have caused accidents in the area have included Iberian wolves roaming the carriageway and flocks of crows.

The Sun has also found that the stretch of the A-52 motorway where tragedy struck has generated more than 40 complaints about the poor condition of the road in just one month last year.

Potholes were worse on the Sanabria section, near the 65km marker point – the exact spot where the Jota car crashed.

A string of complaints to the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, responsible for maintaining the road, triggered urgent roadworks.

And at least one of the complaints was said to relate to a “damage accident” involving a private vehicle in which a Spanish family was travelling, three miles from the Jota smash.

The A52 – also known as the Rías Bajas dual carriageway – was a known accident blackspot before the Jota tragedy – due in part to its rugged terrain and wildlife.

A local source said of animals roaming the region: “They increase the danger of a road which already accounts for a large number of accidents in the Castile and Leon region.

“The authorities and the General Directorate of Traffic recommend that special care should always be taken on this particular road.”

Spanish police were continuing to investigate the cause of the fatal crash last night after taking away the unrecognisable remains of the burned-out sports car.

Nick Parker at the scene of a car crash.
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Sun Man Nick Parker at The Scene of the car crash on the A52 highway outside Puebla de Sanabria, SpainCredit: Darren Fletcher

Bride and groom with three children at their wedding.
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Rute Cardoso and Diogo Jota got married on June 22

Hearse and support vehicle driving down a narrow street.
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Two hearses from Portugal arrive at the funeral home in the Spanish town of Puebla de SanabriaCredit: AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo and a Portuguese soccer player in red jerseys.
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Jota pictured with Cristiano Ronaldo while playing for PortugalCredit: Getty
It comes as Jota’s funerals began today, with close friends and family gathering to mourn the loss of the champion footballer.

Jota’s grieving wife was consoled by relatives amid emotional scenes at his funeral chapel today.

Rute Cardoso – who married the Liverpool ace just 11 days earlier – arrived at Sao Cosme Chapel in his home town of Gondomar near Porto, northern Portugal, early this morning.

Local priest Jose Manuel Macedo initially announced the ceremonies would take place at 4pm on Friday before confirming they had been put back to Saturday morning.

Father Macedo said a wake would take place at Sao Cosme Chapel before the funeral mass on Saturday morning at the Catholic church next door – the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.

Diogo Jota began his footballing career at a club in Gondomar and is also thought to have met his wife there.

In Portugal, wakes are usually held before the funeral service.

Crowds began gathering on Thursday night near the chapel – the Capela da Ressurreicao on the outskirts of Porto – and applauded as the brothers coffins arrived at 11.30pm.

Tributes have been flooding in since the horrific news, including from Jota’s Portugal teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and current Reds boss Arne Slot.

Ronaldo said on Instagram: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the selection, you had gotten married now.

Illustration of Jota's career statistics, including games played and goals scored for various clubs and countries, along with his honors.
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“To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish you all the strength in the world.

“I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”

Lionel Messi posted a touching image of Jota making a heart symbol with his hands with the message “QEPD” – short for the Spanish phrase “que en paz descanse” which translates to “may he rest in peace”.

Liverpool’s number nine, Darwin Nunez, shared an image of a beaming Jota coming on as a substitute for the Uruguayan last season.

The star striker said he will always remember Jota for his smile.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has shared his own statement on his “great friend”.

The German, who signed Jota from Wolves for £45m in 2020, said on social media: “This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose, but I can’t see it.”

He continued: “Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father.

“We will miss you so much. All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them.”

Fellow Liverpool icons such as Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and David James have all also paid their respects.

Carragher posted on Instagram: “Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota. Thoughts are with his wife Rute and their three kids.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer added that Jota’s death is “devastating news”.

He told reporters today: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in saying our first thoughts are going to be with his family and his friends in particular.

“But there are millions of Liverpool fans, but also football fans, and non-fans, who will also be shocked by this.”