As Diogo Jota (age 28) and his brother André Silva (age 25) died in a traffic accident in Spain, conflicting statements have emerged regarding the cause of the accident.
Jota and Silva were involved in a vehicle overturning accident on the A-52 road while headed to Santander in northern Spain on the 3rd (Korean time). The two lost control of their vehicle after a tire burst and ultimately lost their lives.
The British media 'Daily Mail' reported on the 10th that "according to the preliminary investigation report, there's a possibility that the vehicle was exceeding the speed limit at the time of the accident."
It continued, "The vehicle was engulfed in flames immediately after the accident, and Jota and Silva died at the scene. The forensics team is analyzing speed violations based on tire marks, and tire burst is presumed to be the main cause."
However, truck driver José Azevedo, who witnessed the scene, made a completely different claim. After the police announcement, he said, "You can believe my words that the Jota brothers were not speeding. I clearly saw the make and color of the vehicle they were in. I know the road conditions well, having driven this road every day from Monday to Saturday," and added, "Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do. I didn't even know who was inside. I'm just stating the facts as a witness. They were not speeding."
The A-52 road, where the accident occurred, has been a problematic area several times in the past. 'Mirror' reported, "During the year 2023, there were 19 accidents on the A-52 section, with an average of 1.5 fatalities per accident," citing it as a notorious road due to potholes and poor signage.
Jota had recently undergone lung surgery and was in a situation where using an aircraft was difficult. Therefore, the brothers chose to drive a car to head to the UK via ferry. However, they could not escape the tragedy on the dangerous road.
The Spanish police stated, "The forensic report has not yet reached the final stage." An official report will be submitted to the Puebla de Sanabria court in the future.
Jota, born in 1996, was a key striker for the Portugal national team. A product of the youth team of Fasoo, he joined Liverpool in 2020 after stints with Atlético Madrid, Porto, and Wolverhampton. He played 182 matches for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals. He experienced victories in the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup, and contributed to Liverpool's 20th league title last season. The decisive goal he scored in the Merseyside derby against Everton remains his last goal.
Liverpool expressed deep condolences over Jota's sudden death. The club has decided to retire his number 20 jersey permanently. This is the first permanent jersey retirement in the club's history. Additionally, they have decided to pay the full salary of £14.6 million (approximately 27.2 billion won) that was due over the remaining two years of his contract to his family.
His funeral was held at 10 a.m. local time on the 5th in the Igreja Matriz church located in Gondomar, northern Portugal.
Immediately upon hearing the news of the death, Liverpool expressed, "We are shocked by Jota's tragic death," reflecting their sorrow. The Portugal national team stated, "The entire country is in complete shock."
Arne Slot, Liverpool's manager, stated, "I don't know what to say. But I will never forget him." Former coach Jürgen Klopp also remarked, "My heart is broken."
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk referred to Jota as an "eternal champion" and promised to "always be there for his family."
Cristiano Ronaldo also expressed disbelief on social media, saying, "It doesn't make sense. Just a moment ago, we were together in the national team, and you just got married."
Attendees at his funeral included Liverpool players van Dijk, Robertson, McAllister, Darwin Núñez, Curtis Jones, Conor Bradley, Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Wataru Endo, and others. Manager Slot was also present. Former Liverpool player Jordan Henderson attended as well.
BBC reported, "The Liverpool squad was present to accompany a colleague they celebrated the Premier League title with three months ago on his final journey. The sight of players entering the church in a line, as if entering the stadium, moved many. There was a deep sense of sorrow alongside community solidarity. Some fans shed tears, greeting the players with applause from beyond the barriers. One woman shouted, "Força (Stay strong)." " Following, "Close friends and relatives entered the church silently with their heads down. One person in the procession held up a sign with Silva's photo, that read, 'We are forever one.' Many fans, dressed in jerseys or merchandise from the various teams that Jota and Silva played for, watched the quiet ceremony, which lasted about an hour." Roberto Martínez, the Portugal coach, also attended the funeral. Portugal teammates Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and João Félix were present, as well as President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.
[Photo] Diogo Jota ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
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