A Nation in Mourning, a Club in Shock

In a world too often driven by egos and headlines, Diogo Jota was the quiet exception. A footballer of immense talent and few words. A father. A husband. A teammate’s teammate. Now, tragically, a memory.

On the night of July 5, 2025, Jota was killed in a single-vehicle collision on the M62 motorway, just outside Warrington. He was 28. As tributes pour in from across the footballing world, his medical team and close associates have stepped forward to help piece together a timeline of his final day—a day that began with preseason optimism and ended in irreparable heartbreak.

Morning: A Normal Day at Kirkby

Jota arrived at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby just before 9:45 a.m., passing the usual wave of fans who gather near the gates each morning. He honked once, smiled, and lowered his window to give a quick thumbs-up to a young boy holding a Portugal flag.

Inside, it was business as usual. The squad had been back in training for three days, and Saturday was scheduled for light conditioning and individual assessments. According to Liverpool’s Head of Performance, Dr. Emilia Novak, Jota was in “elite condition.”

“He had one of the cleanest medical reports we’ve seen in years,” Novak told us. “He’d fully recovered from previous hamstring issues, had dropped body fat by 2%, and was consistently hitting above-target sprint metrics.”

Jota completed biometric testing, participated in light aerobic drills, and spent an hour reviewing match data from the prior season with the club’s analytics team.

According to Tom Ramsay, Jota’s personal physio, “He was upbeat. We talked about golf, Fortnite, and how he was planning to take his son to a Liverpool U9s game on Sunday.”

He left the training ground at exactly 1:34 p.m. CCTV footage from the club car park shows him waving goodbye to assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff before getting into his black Range Rover.

Afternoon: Family Time in Formby

Back home in Formby, Jota spent the afternoon with his wife Rute Cardoso and their two children, aged 5 and 2. Friends describe their home as “peaceful, minimalist, and filled with laughter.”

Rute’s sister, Ana Cardoso, who had video-chatted with them at around 5:00 p.m., recalled:

“He was on the floor building a LEGO Millennium Falcon with his son. The baby was napping on Rute. It was picture-perfect.”

Dinner was simple—pan-seared salmon, brown rice, and vegetables. Rute, who frequently posted healthy cooking recipes online, made a smoothie afterward for them to share.

Later that evening, at approximately 9:05 p.m., Jota received a call that would change everything.

Evening: A Call for Help

The caller was Miguel Teixeira, a childhood friend from Jota’s hometown of Massarelos. According to sources close to the family, Teixeira had been struggling with depression for several years and was in a particularly fragile state that night.

Club sources confirmed that Teixeira told Jota he was having suicidal thoughts and had no one else to call. Jota spoke with him for just under 11 minutes. At 9:27 p.m., he turned to Rute and said simply:

“I have to go. He needs me.”

She offered to come along, or at least call someone else. But Jota, always protective, told her to stay with the kids.

Final Journey: The Drive That Shouldn’t Have Been

Jota left Formby around 9:40 p.m. His planned route would have taken him eastbound on the M62. Weather reports confirm that visibility was poor, with light rain and wet roads. He was expected to reach Teixeira’s location near Manchester by 10:30 p.m.

At 11:14 p.m., Jota was seen on a service station camera in Burtonwood. He filled up his car, bought a bottle of water, and used the restroom. Staff describe him as “calm and polite,” wearing a grey hoodie, shorts, and Nike trainers.

At 11:36 p.m., motorway cameras recorded Jota’s vehicle traveling in the middle lane at 67 mph. What happened in the next 90 seconds remains unclear.

According to the Cheshire Traffic Collision Unit, Jota’s vehicle hydroplaned while changing lanes. Skid marks and debris indicate he lost control, swerved right, and hit the guardrail head-on at a shallow angle. The SUV rolled twice before coming to rest on its side.

Emergency responders arrived by 11:45 p.m. They found Jota unconscious and unresponsive. CPR was attempted for nearly 10 minutes. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:56 p.m.

The Autopsy: No Substances, No Fault

A preliminary autopsy revealed cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head and upper thorax, sustained during the initial impact. Toxicology results were negative for alcohol, narcotics, and prescription sedatives.

“He was sober. He was focused. He was in control,” said Dr. Novak. “This was a pure accident, tragically magnified by poor road conditions and bad timing.”

The vehicle’s black box showed no sign of sudden braking or collision alert activation, further suggesting that the crash happened too quickly for Jota to react.

Club Reaction: “We’ve Lost a Brother”

Liverpool FC canceled all preseason activities through next Thursday. A private vigil for players and staff will be held at the training ground on Monday, followed by a public memorial at Anfield on Wednesday evening.

Club captain Virgil van Dijk, who broke down during a phone call with Dutch TV, described Jota as “the heart of the dressing room.”

“He never shouted. Never complained. He just did his job and made us all better. We’ve lost a brother.”

Family Statement: “He Died Helping Someone Else”

On Sunday morning, Rute released a short but powerful statement through the club:

“Diogo died doing what he always did—caring. He didn’t hesitate to help a friend. That’s the man I married. That’s the father our children had. Please remember him that way.”

A Legacy That Transcends Football

Jota’s football career spanned clubs in Portugal, Spain, and England. He scored 63 goals for Liverpool, won the FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup, and represented Portugal 48 times.

But to those who knew him best, his greatest achievements were not his trophies—but his humility, his kindness, and his unwavering moral compass.

He donated £250,000 of his bonus earnings to children’s mental health foundations in 2022. He mentored three academy players, quietly paying their families’ travel costs. He once played in a charity five-a-side tournament using only his weaker foot—“just to give the others a chance.”

A Gentle Warrior, Forever Remembered

In the end, Diogo Jota didn’t die in pursuit of glory. He died doing something quiet, something decent, something human.

And for that, more than for his goals, his speed, or his silverware, he will be remembered—as a man of character, courage, and love.

Rest in peace, Diogo Jota. You’ll Never Walk Alone.