Portuguese football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed profound sorrow over the tragic death of his international teammate, Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in Spain early Thursday morning. Jota was 28.
The Liverpool and Portugal forward was killed alongside his younger brother, Andre, when their car veered off a motorway and caught fire shortly after midnight in Cernadilla, a municipality in Zamora province.
Ronaldo, visibly shaken by the news, took to social media platform X to share an emotional tribute:
“It makes no sense. We were just together with the national team (they won the Nations League title last month), you had just gotten married,” he wrote.
“To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.”
Jota’s untimely death comes just a month after he and Ronaldo were seen jubilantly celebrating Portugal’s UEFA Nations League victory over Spain — a moment now marked with poignant finality. The two shared a strong bond on and off the field, forming a key part of Portugal’s attacking force.
Tributes have poured in from across the football world, but Ronaldo’s message has particularly resonated, highlighting the personal pain felt within the Portuguese camp. The national team and Liverpool are expected to honour Jota in the coming days as fans continue to mourn the shocking loss.
