Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, brother die in car crash

Authorities reported on Thursday that Diogo Jota, a famous Portuguese soccer player who just won the English Premier League with Liverpool Football Club, had died in a vehicle accident.

The club issued a statement saying it was "devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota."

The Guardia Civil confirmed in a statement that the 28-year-old star and his brother, André Silva, 25, also a professional soccer player, died after their car crashed in the Zamora region at 12:30 a.m.

"In the absence of a conclusion of the experts evidence, everything points that a car left the road, due to a tire blowout while overtaking," the police said. The statement added that the car caught fire and killed the two occupants inside. The cops say the automobile was a Lamborghini.

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. Officials reported that the car Jota and his brother were in went off the road and then caught fire.

The authorities identified the remains based on documents recovered at the scene of the accident, as well as the car’s license plate. More forensic tests at a morgue in Zamora established the brothers' identities.

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.

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. His last team was Futebol Clube de Penafiel in the Liga Portugal 2, which is the second league of soccer in Portugal.

"We have lost two champions. The passing of Diogo and André Silva represents irreparable losses for Portuguese Football, and we will do everything to honor their legacy daily," the Portuguese national team's statement said.

Cristiano Ronaldo, a teammate of Jota's in the national side, said on Instagram: "Doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you were married."

According to Jota's social media accounts, he got married to his long-term girlfriend, Rute Cardoso, just 10 days ago. The couple have three children together.