A tragic car accident in the province of Zamora, Spain, claimed the lives of Liverpool and Portugal national team footballer Diogo Jota, and his brother André Silva. Telecom Asia Sport reports on how the sports world reacted to the devastating news.
Reaction from Official Organizations and Authorities: UEFA to Hold a Minute of Silence at the Women’s Euro
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) expressed its condolences over the deaths of the two footballers, stating they had “lost two champions.”
The federation reached out to UEFA with a request to observe a minute of silence in Jota’s memory before the Portugal vs Spain match at the Women’s European Championship. UEFA accepted the request: upcoming matches at the Women’s Euro will begin with a moment of silence in memory of Diogo Jota and André Silva.
UEFA released an official statement regarding the deaths of the 28-year-old Jota and 25-year-old Silva:
Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro also commented on the passing of Jota and his brother:
The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who brought pride to Portugal, and his brother is sudden and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to their family. A sad day for football, and for both national and international sport.
From Liverpool to Everton: How Clubs Reacted to the Tragic Accident
Jota’s former clubs responded to the news, led by Liverpool, where the Portuguese forward became a Premier League champion in 2025:
FC Porto also published a tribute post to Jota.
Another message came from Atlético Madrid, where Jota was under contract from 2016 to 2018 but never made a first-team appearance:
Ronaldo, Nadal, and Other Sports Stars Send Condolences to Jota’s Family
Condolences poured in from many clubs and national teams, even those Jota never played for. The tragic news of the Portuguese star’s passing drew reactions from Barcelona, PSG, Monaco, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton, Tottenham, the English FA, and the Belgian national team.
Top athletes also reacted to the tragedy. Cristiano Ronaldo was among the first to express condolences to the families of Diogo Jota and André Silva. Together with Jota, he won two UEFA Nations League titles (in 2019 and 2025) and took part in two European Championships. Remarkably, in his debut match for Portugal, Jota replaced Ronaldo on the pitch: "Unthinkable. We were just together in the national team. You had just gotten married... To your family, your wives and your children - I send my condolences and strength. I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you."
Lionel Messi also reacted, saying that football had suffered a great loss. He added that he is praying for the families of Diogo Jota and André Silva.
World tennis icon Rafael Nadal shared a heartfelt message on his social media account: "Such sad and painful news 😔. I send all my love, support and sympathy to his wife, children, family and friends in this difficult time. Rest in peace, Diogo Jota and André Silva"
LeBron James, 40-year-old American basketball player and four-time NBA champion, also reacted:
