Footballer Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain

Liverpool's Portuguese forward, Diogo Jota, 28, died in a car crash near Zamora in northwestern Spain, reports Reuters.

Diogo and his brother, 26-year-old André, died on early Thursday (July 3), the Portuguese Football Federation confirmed.

Accdcording to the regional fire department of Castile and Leon, a car crashed shortly after midnight, and burst into flames, with two men found dead.

"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," the Portuguese Football Federation said in a statement.

However, Spanish police could not yet officially confirm the names of the deceased, but everything pointed to it being Jota and his brother. The Lamborghini they were travelling veered off the road, the spokesperson said.

The bodies have been taken to a forensics unit in nearby Zamora where autopsies will be performed, they added.

Jota, who got married on June 28, helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season and also won the FA Cup and League Cup with the Merseyside outfit. Jota arrived at Anfield from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club in all competitions.

He also made 49 appearances for Portugal, twice winning the UEFA Nations League.