Cristiano Ronaldo has paid a deeply emotional tribute following the sudden and tragic death of Portugal teammate Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André.
The football world was rocked on Thursday, July 3, when news broke that Jota, aged 28, had lost his life in a devastating car accident in northern Spain. His 26-year-old brother, André—also a footballer—was with him at the time and tragically died as well.
The accident reportedly happened in the early hours near Zamora, close to the Portugal-Spain border. Their Lamborghini is believed to have suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla, causing the vehicle to veer off the road.
What makes the tragedy even more heartbreaking is that it occurred just two weeks after Jota tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso—the mother of his three children. In what would become his final Instagram post just a day before the accident, Jota expressed his joy, calling himself “the luckiest man in the world” to be her husband.
Cristiano Ronaldo, visibly shaken by the news, took to social media to honor his fallen teammate and friend:
"It doesn't make sense. We were just together with the national team. You had just gotten married.
To your wife, your children, and your entire family—I send my deepest condolences and all the strength in the world.
I know you’ll always be watching over them.
Rest in peace, Diogo and André. You will never be forgotten."
Just weeks before the accident, Ronaldo and Jota had celebrated victory together as part of Portugal’s Nations League-winning squad.
Jota had been a key figure for the national team, earning 49 caps and netting 14 goals in international play. His legacy, both on and off the pitch, will live on in the hearts of fans, teammates, and loved ones.
