Speeding likely cause of Jota car crash: Police

MADRID — Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota was likely speeding when his car veered off a motorway in Spain last week killing him and his brother, Spanish police said on Tuesday.

The shock deaths of Jota, 28, and Andre Silva, 25, on July 3 plunged the soccer world into mourning, less than two weeks after the striker had got married.

An ongoing investigation is examining "the marks left by one of the vehicle's wheels. Everything points to a possible excessive speed beyond the road's speed limit", the Civil Guard said.

Speed limits on Spanish motorways are generally set at 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour).

The site of the accident on the A-52 route in the northwestern province of Zamora was on a stretch of fairly straight road approaching a bend.

The Civil Guard had previously said a tire had probably blown out while the vehicle was overtaking, causing it to crash and burst into flames.

"All the tests conducted so far indicate that the driver of the vehicle was Diogo Jota," the police added on Tuesday.

Just hours before the accident, Jota had posted a video of his June 22 wedding to longtime partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children.

Portuguese and UK media reported Jota was driving to the northern Spanish port of Santander to take a ferry to England for the start of Liverpool's preseason training, avoiding a flight on medical advice after a recent lung operation.

A site of remembrance has been set up at Liverpool's Anfield Stadium, where fans and former players have laid a sea of flowers, shirts, scarves and pictures.

Following spells at Atletico Madrid, Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jota became a fan favorite at Liverpool after joining the Premier League giant in 2020.

He netted 65 times for the Reds in five seasons, lifting the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22 and helping them win a record-equaling 20th English league title last season.

The striker also earned 49 caps for Portugal and was part of the team that won this year's UEFA Nations League.

Younger brother Andre played in midfield for FC Penafiel in Portugal's second tier.

AFP