Police report that one of the causes of the death of Diogo Jota (28, Liverpool) was speeding.
British 'Sky Sports' reported on the 9th (Korean time) that 'Spanish police believe Jota was the driver of the vehicle involved in the traffic accident that claimed the lives of himself and his brother. The accident vehicle is suspected to have significantly exceeded the speed limit.'
The accident occurred on the A-52 highway near Zamora, Spain, on the 3rd. Jota and his brother André Silva were in a high-performance Lamborghini when a tire blew out while attempting to overtake another car, causing the vehicle to leave the road and become engulfed in flames. The vehicle was completely destroyed, and both individuals died at the scene.
Jota was traveling from Portugal to Santander in northern Spain. He was returning to Liverpool by car instead of by plane, having undergone a minor surgery for a lung condition. After driving from Porto to Santander, he was scheduled to take a ferry to England.
Following the accident, Spanish police issued official statements on two occasions.
Police stated, 'There is clear evidence of speeding at the time of the collision. The expert report is not yet finalized but will be submitted to judicial authorities soon.' Javier López Delgado, president of the Spanish Road Safety Audit Association, also noted, 'If they had been driving at only 88 km/h, there was a possibility of survival. The skid marks clearly show they were driving at a very high speed.' The speed limit on that stretch of road was 120 km/h.
So far, electronic records such as black box data have not been secured due to the vehicle fire. The police are relying on physical evidence, including tire tracks, collision marks, and passenger positions.
Born in 1996, Jota was a key forward for the Portugal national team. A product of the youth team at Fasoo, he played for Atlético Madrid, Porto, and Wolverhampton before donning the Liverpool jersey in 2020. He made 182 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals, and experienced victories in the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup. He contributed to Liverpool's 20th league title last season, and his last goal was in April against Everton.
The sudden death of Jota also brought deep sadness to Liverpool FC. The club decided to retire his jersey number 20 permanently. Additionally, they have committed to paying his family £14.6 million (approximately 27.2 billion won) for the remaining two years of his contract.
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