The football world remains in mourning following the tragic death of Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota, who perished in a devastating car crash alongside his brother, André Silva, in northwestern Spain on July 3, 2025. The 28-year-old forward, fresh off a Premier League title win with Liverpool and a fairytale wedding to his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days prior, was a beloved figure whose loss sent shockwaves through the global sports community. However, a bombshell revelation has emerged, casting a dramatic shadow over the circumstances of his final hours. Jota’s personal driver has come forward with a stunning claim: he dropped the football star off at a woman’s apartment mere hours before the fatal accident. Photos allegedly showing Jota and an unidentified woman together at the apartment gate have surfaced, igniting speculation and raising questions about what truly happened in the lead-up to the tragedy. What secrets did Jota’s final night hold, and how do they connect to the catastrophic crash?

Diogo Jota was at the peak of his career. Known for his electrifying pace, razor-sharp finishing, and relentless work ethic, he had cemented his place as a cornerstone of Liverpool’s attack since joining the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 for a reported £41 million. In the 2024-25 season, Jota played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s Premier League triumph, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 26 appearances. His contributions extended beyond club football, with 49 caps for Portugal, including a starring role in their UEFA Nations League victory just weeks before his death. Off the pitch, Jota was a devoted family man, having recently married Rute Cardoso, his high school sweetheart, in a romantic ceremony in Porto on June 22, 2025. The couple, together since 2013, shared three young children: sons Denis and Duarte, and a daughter born the previous year. Social media posts from the wedding, filled with heartfelt captions like “Yes, to forever,” painted a picture of a man basking in personal and professional bliss. Yet, the driver’s revelation and the mysterious photos threaten to unravel this image, plunging Jota’s final hours into a web of intrigue.

According to the driver, whose identity remains undisclosed to protect their privacy, Jota was driven to an apartment in Porto on the evening of July 2, 2025, hours before he and his brother embarked on their ill-fated journey to Santander, Spain. The driver claims Jota requested to be dropped off at an upscale residential building, where he was seen entering with a woman. Grainy photos, reportedly taken by a passerby and now circulating online, appear to show Jota at the apartment’s entrance gate alongside an unidentified female figure. The images, though blurry, have sparked a frenzy of speculation among fans and media alike. Who was this woman? Was this a planned meeting, or an impromptu visit? And most crucially, how does this revelation tie into the tragic events that followed?

The fatal crash occurred around 12:30 a.m. on July 3, 2025, on the A-52 highway near Cernadilla, Zamora, close to the Portugal-Spain border. Jota and his 25-year-old brother André Silva, a professional footballer for Portuguese second-division club Penafiel, were traveling in a £180,000 acid-green Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder. Spanish authorities reported that the vehicle suffered a tire blowout while overtaking, causing it to veer off the road, roll, and burst into flames. The surrounding vegetation also caught fire, and despite the efforts of emergency services, both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that Jota had been advised against flying due to recent minor lung surgery, likely related to a rib injury sustained during the previous season. Instead, he and André opted to drive to Santander to catch a ferry back to the UK for Liverpool’s pre-season training.

Initial reports suggested speeding might have contributed to the crash, with Spanish police noting “a possible speeding incident” based on tire marks and the car’s condition. However, two Portuguese lorry drivers who witnessed the incident have disputed this, insisting the Lamborghini was traveling at a moderate speed. One driver, José Aleixo Duarte, told local media, “The road was in terrible condition. They weren’t speeding.” The A-52 highway, notorious for its poor maintenance and lack of safety barriers, has been flagged by Spain’s Organisation of Users and Consumers as one of the country’s most dangerous routes. This has led to speculation that road conditions, combined with the tire blowout, were the primary factors in the accident. The ongoing investigation, expected to conclude with a detailed police report, aims to clarify whether speed, mechanical failure, or external factors played the decisive role.

The driver’s claim and the surfaced photos have added a layer of complexity to the narrative. While some dismiss the apartment visit as a harmless stop—perhaps a meeting with a friend or family member—others have speculated about potential personal indiscretions, especially given Jota’s recent marriage. The football community, still reeling from the loss, is divided. Social media platforms are abuzz with debates, some defending Jota’s character as a “humble, hardworking, and kind” individual, as described by teammate Harvey Elliott, while others demand answers about the mysterious woman. Liverpool FC has remained silent on the new allegations, focusing instead on supporting Jota’s family. The club issued a statement expressing their devastation and requesting privacy for Jota’s wife, Rute, and their children, who are grappling with unimaginable grief.

Tributes have poured in from across the football world. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who played alongside Jota in the Nations League, wrote, “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, you were just married.” Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, who signed Jota, described him as “a great friend, a loving husband, and father.” Current manager Arne Slot called Jota “the essence of what a Liverpool player should be,” vowing to honor his legacy. Fans have left flowers, scarves, and messages at Anfield, with one note reading, “Diogo lives forever.” The Portuguese Football Federation declared a minute’s silence at the Women’s Euros match between Portugal and Spain, reflecting the profound impact of the brothers’ deaths.

As the investigation into the crash continues, questions linger about Jota’s final hours. Was the apartment visit a mundane errand or a clue to a hidden side of his life? The photos, while provocative, lack context, and without further evidence, conclusions remain speculative. What is certain is the void left by Jota and André Silva. Jota’s journey from Porto’s youth academies to the pinnacle of European football was marked by resilience and talent. His brother, a rising star in his own right, shared that same passion. Their deaths have united fans, players, and even political figures like UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Portugal’s Luís Montenegro in shared sorrow.

For now, the football world mourns a star whose light was extinguished too soon. Rute Cardoso, widowed just weeks after her wedding, faces an uncertain future with her three children. The mystery surrounding Jota’s final hours may never be fully resolved, but his legacy—on the pitch and in the hearts of those who knew him—endures. As Liverpool prepares for the new season, the absence of Jota’s infectious energy will be keenly felt, both at Anfield and beyond.