The 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, reducing the supercar to ashes.
Spanish police, as reported by The Guardian and Daily Mail, initially attributed the accident to a tire blowout during an overtaking maneuver, but Liverpool manager Arne Slot revealed a police report citing a suspicious substance resembling a bomb in the wreckage, prompting a sabotage investigation.
The footage, shared by outlets like Diario de Castilla y León and discussed on X, shows the charred remains of the Lamborghini, with only the wheels and license plate identifiable, as the fire consumed the vehicle and spread to nearby vegetation.
Emergency services, including the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade and Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center, confirmed the deaths of Jota, 28, and André, 26, at the scene, unable to save them due to the blaze’s intensity.
The Spanish Civil Guard noted the car “left the road and caught fire,” with forensic tests ongoing to confirm identities and investigate the explosive substance.
Jota, who married Rute Cardoso on June 22, 2025, was driving to Santander for a ferry to the UK, advised against flying due to recent lung surgery, per CNN Portugal. His final Instagram post, captioned “A day we will never forget,” showed his wedding, amplifying the tragedy’s heartbreak.
André, a Penafiel midfielder, shared Jota’s passion for football. Tributes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jürgen Klopp, and Portugal’s Prime Minister Luís Montenegro have poured in, with UEFA confirming a minute’s silence at Women’s Euro 2025 matches. Fans on X expressed horror, with @1BongoIdeas noting, “Burning to death is wild,” and @DailyMail sharing the footage’s devastating trajectory.
The A-52’s history of 15,000 speeding fines in 2020 and poor safety barriers, as per the Daily Mail, has raised questions about road conditions, though the sabotage probe shifts focus.
Liverpool, devastated by the loss of Jota’s 65 goals in 182 appearances, faces a challenging pre-season without him. The football community mourns as the investigation deepens, seeking answers to this unthinkable tragedy.
