The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has formally requested UEFA to observe a minute’s silence before Portugal’s Women’s Euro 2025 match against Spain on July 3, 2025, in Switzerland, following the tragic deaths of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in a car accident.
The devastating crash occurred at 12:30 AM local time on the A-52 highway near Cernadilla, Zamora, Spain, when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames.
Spanish authorities, per The Guardian and BBC Sport, initially attributed the accident to a tire blowout during overtaking, but a police report cited by Liverpool manager Arne Slot revealed a suspicious substance resembling a bomb in the wreckage, prompting a sabotage investigation.
FPF president Pedro Proença expressed profound grief in a statement, saying, “The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.
Much more than a fantastic player with nearly 50 caps for the national team, Diogo was an extraordinary person, respected by all. We have lost two champions.” UEFA confirmed the minute’s silence will be observed at all Women’s Euro 2025 matches on Thursday and Friday, honoring Jota, 28, who scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool, and André, 26, a Penafiel midfielder.
Social media posts on X, including from @DeadlineDayLive and @amplifyfball, echoed the FPF’s request, reflecting widespread mourning.
Jota, who married Rute Cardoso on June 22, 2025, leaves behind three children. His recent Nations League triumph with Portugal and Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League title underscored his legacy.
Tributes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jürgen Klopp, and Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro have poured in, with fans gathering at Anfield to lay flowers. The sabotage probe, reported by The Sun, has intensified scrutiny, with no evidence supporting earlier rumors of intoxication.
The FPF’s call for a minute’s silence, backed by UEFA, ensures Jota and André’s legacies are honored as Liverpool and the football world grapple with this profound loss ahead of the Premier League opener against Bournemouth on August 17.
