This is the heartbreaking scene following a fatal accident that claimed the life of Liverpool’s Diogo Jota after his Lamborghini veered off a road in northern Spain.

The Portuguese star lost his life in the early hours of Thursday morning while driving the luxury car near Zamora with his 26-year-old brother Andre, also a footballer, who perished alongside him in the collision.

Jota was traveling to Santander to board an overnight ferry to the UK, aiming to be present for Liverpool’s pre-season training starting Monday, since he was advised against flying after undergoing lung surgery, according to reports from his native country today.

His untimely death at 28, which has sent shockwaves around the world, comes just ten days after the father-of-three married his childhood sweetheart in what he emotionally described just yesterday as ‘a day we will never forget’.

The Lamborghini’s tyre is believed to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 by the town of Cernadilla, near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal.  

The supercar came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames just after 12.30am (11.30pm UK time) on Thursday. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved and are said to have been identified by the vehicle’s number plate.

Shocking footage shows the charred remains of the supercar flipped over on the side of the main road, with emergency crews seen investigating nearby. 

Video obtained by Spanish media shows the car’s trajectory until it left the road and crashed into a fireball. Tyre marks show where the Lamborghini veered off the road, while broken parts of the central reservation can be seen strewn across the ground. 

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo – who celebrated winning the Nations League alongside Jota less than a month ago – said the star’s death ‘makes no sense’, adding: ‘We will all miss you.’

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner today joined Liverpool fans gathering outside Anfield as they left tributes including wreaths, flowers and Jota’s No 20 shirt which will forever go down in history. 

Jota had just married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children, and described himself as the luckiest man in the world to be her husband, sharing moving footage of their wedding day in his final Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon.

The couple married on June 22 in Porto, the footballer’s home city. Rute shared more wedding day pictures in a social media post yesterday and said: ‘My dream come true.’ Jota replied in the comments: ‘I’m the lucky one.’

It’s understood he was headed to Santander to catch a ferry to the UK after being advised not to fly following lung surgery. Liverpool’s pre-season training is due to begin on Monday.

CNN Portugal said medics told the Liverpool star he shouldn’t catch a plane after the surgery.

The channel’s sports editor Rui Laura said today live on air: ‘The surgery he had had was lung surgery and he had been advised against flying following this.

‘He was on his way to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to cross the ferry and reach the UK that way and carry on with the car once he reached Britain. He was on his way to Liverpool with his brother.’

The Lamborghini crash happened on the A-52 in the province of Zamora. The Spanish road is a key route taken by drivers after leaving northern Portugal as they head for the ports of Santander and Bilbao or drive north-east towards France.

Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash and two fatalities at around 12.35am on Thursday morning. Diogo and Andre’s deaths were confirmed by the Portuguese Football Federation.

‘The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire,’ a statement read.

‘1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident. 

‘From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene’.

The number plate on the Lamborghini was reportedly key to identifying the brothers. A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Zamora said he wasn’t in a position to say who was driving the car that crashed, but that they believe ‘the car suffered a blowout from the marks on the road.’

They added: ‘At this moment in time it is impossible to say at exactly what speed the car was going but that is something the Civil Guard investigators will be able to detail at least approximately in their final report from things like the skid marks.

‘What I can confirm is that no other vehicle was involved and no-one else was hurt.’

The Lamborghini was travelling in the direction of Benavente in the neighbouring province of Leon but it is not yet clear exactly where the men were heading.

The Portuguese national football team have said they are ‘devastated’ by the death of Liverpool forward Diogo, adding that he ‘was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his teammates and opponents’.

His death was confirmed by Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation.

He said in a statement: ‘The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, this morning, in Spain.

‘Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.

‘On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players.

‘The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute’s silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women’s European Championship.

‘Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy’.

Jota starred for Liverpool as they won the Premier League title in May and also played for Portugal’s national team and helped it win the Nations League last month.

His brother played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club – including the Premier League title last season.

The forward scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, with nine of those goals coming last season as Arne Slot’s side won the league, having also lifted the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

He signed for Wolves, initially on loan, from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2017 and helped Wolves win the Championship in his first season, scoring 44 goals in 131 appearances before his move to Anfield.

Jota began his career with Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira before moving to Atletico, where he did not play a game but was loaned out to Porto.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Jota’s death was ‘devastating news’ and that millions of Liverpool football fans would be shocked. 

Former Liverpool and England defender Carragher today led tributes from the world of football. He said on Sky Sports News: ‘Just in a state of shock. Not with anyone associated to Liverpool but football in general. It is one of the few times when the football family all come together.

‘I just cannot believe it. For everybody involved but especially his family – his wife and the children they’ve got, it’s devastating for all involved.

‘I can only imagine how his team-mates feel at Liverpool and Portugal, they must be in a world of pain with his friends and family.’

Carragher added: ‘It just shows us all how quickly life can change. What a summer he’s had, and you get this devastating news that his family have had in the last few hours, you can’t even comprehend it.’

Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota’s family ‘all the strength in the world’ following the Liverpool forward’s death.

A translated version of his message on Instagram said: ‘Doesn’t make any sense.

‘Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married.

‘To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.

‘I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.’

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons the whole House ‘is heartbroken by this news’, adding: ‘I wanted to send our sympathies to his family on behalf of the whole House.’

Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said he was ‘heartbroken’ by the news and that Jota’s death was a ‘huge loss to our city and the world of football.’

Ms Rayner, who joined Mr Rotherham at Anfield, said: ‘I’m absolutely devastated for his wife and his children and his family. I can’t imagine what they’re going through at the moment.’

The Deputy PM, who laid flowers, added: ‘My son is 28. It’s really shocking. You speak to people here and he was like a family member for Liverpool fans.’ 

Jota, who achieved his boyhood dream of making it from the suburbs of Portugal to the biggest stage in world football, leaves a giant void in the sport and will long be remembered by fans across the globe.