Liverpool football star Diogo Jota dies in car crash in Spain

Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, 28, died in a fiery car crash near Zamora in northwestern Spain with his brother, a Spanish state-owned TV station said on Thursday, citing local firefighters.

The Civil Guard said a vehicle veered off a motorway and burst into flames shortly after midnight in the municipality of Cernadilla in the province of Zamora, confirming the deaths of Jota, 28, and his brother Andre.

"Everything points to the blowout of a tyre while it (the vehicle) was overtaking," the Civil Guard said in a statement.

The regional fire department of Castile-Leon, where Zamora is located, said on its website that a car crashed shortly after midnight on Thursday and burst into flames, with two men, aged 28 and 26, found dead.

Portuguese football federation president Pedro Proenca wrote on social media that he was "devastated", calling Jota "an extraordinary person, respected by all his colleagues and opponents, someone blessed with an infectious joy and a reference for his own community".

Proenca said they had asked UEFA for a minute's silence before Portugal's Women's Euro 2025 match against Spain in Switzerland on Thursday.

"We have lost two champions. The death of Diogo and Andre Silva are irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything possible to honour their legacy every day," Proenca added.

Jota, who got married on June 28, helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season and also won the FA Cup and League Cup with the Merseyside outfit.

Jota arrived at Anfield from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club in all competitions.

He also made 49 appearances for Portugal, winning the UEFA Nations League twice.