Headlines

Spanish Police: Jota Was Speeding in Fatal Crash

Published JUL 9 2025

Story

Above: General view of the crash site where Diogo Jota and André Silva lost their lives in Spain. Image credit: Octavio Passos/Getty Images

The Facts

The Spanish Civil Guard has determined that Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, 28, was driving his Lamborghini when it crashed on the A-52 motorway near Zamora on July 3, killing him and his brother André Silva, 25, after the vehicle burst into flames following a suspected tire blowout.
The Times (UK)
BBC News
Police analysis of tire marks and crash evidence indicates Jota was driving “significantly” above the 120 kph (75 mph) speed limit when the vehicle left the road during an overtaking maneuver in the early hours local time.
XINHUA
Sky News
France 24
The brothers were traveling from Portugal to Santander to catch a ferry to England for Jota’s Liverpool pre-season training, as the soccer player had been advised against flying due to recent lung surgery.
guardian
Daily Mail
Road safety experts have cited “multiple factors” in the crash, including poor road conditions on the A-52 highway, which generated over 40 complaints about potholes and surface faults in one month last year and experienced another serious accident eight days prior.
Daily Mail
The Times (UK)
The fatal crash took place just 11 days after Jota married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso in Portugal. The brothers’ funeral was held on Saturday in their hometown of Gondomar.
France 24
Sky News

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

This tragic accident highlights the dangers of excessive speeding on Spanish highways. Police evidence clearly shows Jota was driving well above safe limits when the tire blowout occurred. Road conditions may have been poor, but speed was the primary factor that turned a manageable situation into a fatal crash.

ITV News

Narrative B

While speed appears to be a factor, this crash occurred on a notoriously dangerous stretch of highway with a history of documented safety issues. The A-52 had multiple accidents and complaints about road conditions, suggesting infrastructure problems contributed significantly to this tragedy beyond the driver’s behavior.