Liverpool forward Diogo Jota was driving and likely speeding when his car crashed in Spain on Thursday, killing him and his younger brother, according to a preliminary police investigation.
Jota and his brother, André Silva, died after their car – reported by Spanish media to be a Lamborghini – came off the road following a burst tire and subsequently went up in flames in the early hours of Thursday morning.
A spokesperson for Spain’s Guardia Civil told CNN Sports that their preliminary investigation indicates Jota was behind the wheel in the fatal crash and that speeding was likely a factor due to tire marks left on the highway.
Once the Guardia Civil has finalized its investigation later this week, it will be sent to a local judge before being released to the public.
The soccer world has been in mourning since news of Jota’s death broke, with former teammates, managers and fans from around the world sending tributes to a beloved figure in Liverpool and beyond.
“It does not make sense,” Cristiano Ronaldo wrote on social media. “We were only just together in the national team, you had only just got married.
“I send my condolences and all the strength in the world to your family, to your wife and to your children. I know that you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”
Jota married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, with whom he has three children, less than two weeks before the crash.
The funeral for the two players took place in their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal on Saturday.
The post Diogo Jota was behind the wheel and likely speeding when car crashed, preliminary police investigation says appeared first on CNN.
