Police investigating the tragic motorway crash that claimed the life of Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota believe the Liverpool star was behind the wheel at the time – and may have been speeding.
Jota, 28, died alongside his younger brother Andre Silva, 25, when their Lamborghini crashed on a motorway in Spain’s Zamora province in the early hours of last Thursday.
Initial reports suggest the car may have suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking on the A52 near Palacios de Sanabria, causing it to veer off the road and catch fire.
According to Spain’s Guardia Civil, evidence points to excessive speed playing a role in the fatal incident.
“Everything also points to a possible excessive speed beyond the speed limit of the road [highway],” said traffic authorities in Zamora.
Investigators analysed tyre marks found some distance from the impact site. Based on these markings, police said, “all the tests carried out so far indicate that the driver of the crashed vehicle was Diogo Jota.”
BREAKING: Spanish police say “all the evidence so far indicates” Diogo Jota was the driver of the car involved in the accident that killed the Liverpool forward and his brother, Andre Silva. pic.twitter.com/klBlBsS8ga
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 8, 2025
The vehicle was almost completely destroyed by the fire, making the forensic analysis more complex. A full expert report is currently being prepared for judicial review.
The accident occurred just 11 days after Jota married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, in Portugal. The couple had three children together. The two brothers were reportedly en route to the port city of Santander, where Jota planned to begin his return to Liverpool for pre-season training.
Funeral services for Jota and his brother were held over the weekend in their hometown of Gondomar, near Porto.
While some reports had raised concerns about uneven road surfacing in the area where the crash happened, police told Spanish media that the location was not classified as a high-risk or “black spot” and should have been safely navigable even at speeds above the posted 120 km/h (75 mph) limit.
Tyre marks were said to stretch approximately 100 metres (330 feet) before the crash site, providing police with further insight into the incident.
