Diogo Jota, Brother’s bodies arrive in Portugal for burial amid tears

Tributes are pouring in from across the globe after Portugal international footballer Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 26, tragically died in a horrific car crash in Spain on Thursday, July 3, 2025.

Their bodies were received with a somber and tearful reception on Thursday night as devastated supporters lined the streets outside a church in Gondomar, northern Portugal, ahead of funeral rites.

According to the Daily Mail, tears streamed down mourners’ faces as hearses transporting the brothers’ coffins arrived just after 11 PM at the Capela de Ressurreicao, where an early morning wake was scheduled to commence.

The two siblings tragically lost their lives in the early hours of Thursday in a devastating car crash near Cernadilla, just across the Spanish border in the province of Zamora.

Reports from the Spanish Civil Guard indicate that a tire of Jota’s Lamborghini Huracan reportedly burst while he was attempting to overtake another vehicle.

The supercar veered violently off the A-52 motorway, rolled multiple times, and subsequently burst into flames, killing both brothers instantly at the scene.

Spanish government official Angel Blanco confirmed that the siblings perished on impact before emergency services could intervene.

The sheer force of the crash also ignited nearby vegetation, necessitating a swift response from firefighters.

Authorities have stated that it remains unclear which of the brothers was driving at the time of the horrific accident.

The local parish priest, Jose Macedo, informed CNN that the wake would begin at 8 AM today, Friday, July 4, at the Capela da Ressurreição São Cosme.

Their funeral service is scheduled for 10 AM on Saturday, July 5, at the Igreja Matriz, the Catholic church located next door. “We’re available to celebrate [their life] with everyone and to share the pain and the Christian hope,” Macedo conveyed.

Earlier on Thursday afternoon, hearses were observed leaving a funeral home in Puebla de Sanabria, Spain, where the bodies were initially transported.

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Notably, Jota’s agent, Jorge Mendes, was pictured providing support to the bereaved family and escorting the footballer’s distraught mother into the funeral home.

“We lost two great people. Diogo is an example as a person, husband, son, professional. I still can’t believe it. It’s very difficult,” a tearful Mendes shared with reporters.

The solemn procession carrying the brothers’ remains to Gondomar, a town located approximately 30 minutes from Jota’s hometown of Porto, arrived late into the night, underscoring the deep sadness surrounding the event.

The wake is taking place in the very same city where, only two weeks prior, on June 22, 2025, the 28-year-old forward had celebrated his wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, in a ceremony attended by close friends and family.

According to reports, Jota, a key player for Liverpool FC, and his brother, Andre, who also played professional football for Penafiel in Portugal, were driving towards Santander with the intention of catching a ferry to the UK.

They had reportedly chosen road travel over air travel due to Jota’s recent lung surgery for a collapsed lung (pneumothorax), which prevented him from flying.

His physiotherapist had reportedly seen them just hours before the crash, confirming Jota was recovering well and not “partying.”