Before kickoff in the highly anticipated 2025 FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal between Fluminense and Al Hilal, the match paused for a poignant tribute. A moment of silence was held in honor of Portugal international Diogo Jota, following the recent tragic news surrounding the player. As the stadium stood in collective respect, two of Jota’s national teammates — Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves — were visibly overcome with emotion.
Both players, who have shared the pitch with Jota for years on the international stage, struggled to hold back tears during the ceremony. Despite the magnitude of the quarterfinal clash, the human side of the sport was on full display.
For a few minutes, the competitive stakes were set aside, as Cancelo and Neves reminded the soccer world that behind every jersey is a person — and behind every teammate, a lasting bond.
The tribute served as a somber but powerful reminder of Jota’s impact not just as a player, but as a cherished figure in the locker room and within the Portuguese national team.
What happened to Diogo Jota?
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva — a professional player for FC Penafiel in Portugal — tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain early Thursday morning. The incident was first reported by Portuguese media and later confirmed by Spanish authorities, who released further details on the crash.
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According to local officials in Zamora, the accident occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m. on the A-52 highway — a major route connecting Madrid to Galicia in the northwest region of Spain, near the Portuguese border.
Authorities stated that the two brothers were traveling in a Lamborghini when the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a barrier. The impact caused the car to catch fire. Emergency services responded quickly, but both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
While the exact cause of the accident has yet to be officially determined, Spanish police told the BBC that preliminary reports suggest the driver may have lost control after the car suffered a rear tire blowout.
