😢 The Heartbreaking Cry of Diogo Jota’s Son at His Father’s Funeral 😢
Just four words… but they were enough to bring the world to tears.
The pain, the loss, and the raw emotion of a son saying goodbye to his father. 💔
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, fellow soccer player André Filipe, have died in a car accident in Spain.
The global soccer community is in mourning following the tragic death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, 28, and his younger brother, André Filipe, 26, a player for Portuguese club Penafiel.
The two brothers were killed in a car accident early on Thursday morning on the A52 highway in the province of Zamora, Spain.
The Portuguese siblings were traveling in a Lamborghini when the vehicle is believed to have veered off the road after suffering a tire blowout while attempting to overtake another car.
Jota recently married childhood sweetheart
The devastating news comes less than two weeks after Jota married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, the mother of their three children. The couple tied the knot on June 22 after years together.
At the time, Jota shared photos from the ceremony on social media, captioning them with the words: “Yes, forever.”
Inseparable from a young age
Jota and Cardoso had known each other since they were teenagers and had been inseparable ever since. She stood by his side throughout his career – from his early days in Portugal to his rise in the Premier League with Wolves and, later, Liverpool.
Despite her close connection to one of soccer’s most recognizable names, Cardoso had always preferred to stay out of the spotlight, and little was publicly known about the couple’s private life.
Diogo wasn’t just a key player for Liverpool and the Portuguese national team – he was a father of three, a newlywed, and someone who had built a life full of love with his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso. Just 11 days before his death, they said, “I do.”
Rute and Diogo had a special love story. They reportedly met as teenagers in high school in Porto, Portugal, and began dating in October 2012, when Diogo was around 15.
© @rutecfcardoso14
Rute Cardoso and Diogo Jota met in high school.
As his soccer career took off, their relationship stayed steady. When he signed with Atlético de Madrid in 2016, Rute was one of his mainstays. When he moved to England to play for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2017–2018 season, she packed her bags too, per OK Diario. There was no doubt that they were a dream team when he joined Liverpool in 2020.
© @rutecfcardoso14
In 2020, they announced they were expecting their first child
They also welcomed three children into the world: Denis, 4, Duarte, 2, and a baby girl they welcomed in November 2024. He proposed to her in a sweet private moment in 2022 before Duarte was born. The couple also had three beagles.
They tied the knot on June 22, 2025, in their native Portugal, surrounded by close friends and family.
Just a month ago, Rute and the kids were by his side celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League victory. Diogo also helped Portugal win the UEFA Nations League in June.
© Getty
Fans have been laying flowers in memory of Diogo Jota at Anfield in Liverpool, England
His death has shaken fans, teammates, and fellow legends. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and David Beckham were among those who shared their heartbreak on social media.
Diogo’s parents, Joaquim and Isabel Silva, are reportedly devastated. Losing both Diogo and André in the same moment is unimaginable. They were very close to their sons and also had a loving relationship with Rute, who will now navigate life as a single mom.
© @rutecfcardoso14
They were a beautiful couple with a great future ahead of them, along with their three children
His final post
One day before his tragic death, Diogo Jota used his Instagram profile to share what would become his final post. The post was a tribute to one of the happiest days of his life: his wedding to Rute.
In the clip, they’re surrounded by their children and loved ones, beaming as they celebrate their special day. “A day we’ll never forget,” he captioned it.
Rest in peace.
