On July 3, 2025, the football world was rocked by the tragic deaths of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva in a fiery car crash on Spain’s A-52 highway near Zamora. The brothers, aged 28 and 25, perished when their Lamborghini Huracan veered off the road and burst into flames. Initial reports pointed to a tire blowout and possible excessive speed, but a shocking new development has emerged: Spanish police have uncovered evidence of a critical flaw in the vehicle’s tire system, raising questions about the safety of the supercar and the circumstances of the tragedy.
The Guardia Civil’s investigation, now in its final stages, has revealed that the Lamborghini’s left rear tire, which suffered a catastrophic blowout, exhibited a manufacturing defect. Forensic analysis of the tire fragments, recovered from the crash site at kilometer 65 near Cernadilla, showed irregularities in the tire’s internal structure, potentially compromising its ability to withstand high speeds. This flaw, investigators say, likely contributed to the tire’s failure during an overtaking maneuver, causing the car to lose control and crash into the central reservation. The vehicle’s speed, previously estimated to exceed the 120km/h limit, may have exacerbated the issue, but the defective tire is now a central focus of the probe.
Diogo Jota, a beloved figure at Liverpool, had recently celebrated his wedding to Rute Cardoso on June 22, just 11 days before the accident. The couple, parents to three young children-Dinis, Duarte, and Mafalda-were planning to return to England via ferry, as Jota had been advised against flying due to a recent lung procedure. He and André, a professional footballer for Penafiel, were en route to Santander when the tragedy struck. The revelation of the tire defect has sparked outrage among fans and prompted scrutiny of Lamborghini’s safety standards, with reports indicating that the Huracan model had been subject to recalls for issues including tire-related concerns between 2021 and 2022.
The emotional toll of the crash has been profound. At the brothers’ funeral in Gondomar, Portugal, on July 5, Liverpool teammates, including Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, joined family and friends in mourning. Rute Cardoso, visibly devastated, was supported by loved ones as she bid farewell to her husband and brother-in-law. Tributes poured in from across the globe, with Cristiano Ronaldo writing, “It doesn’t make sense. Rest in peace, Diogo and André.” Liverpool fans left flowers and scarves at Anfield, while the club vowed to support Jota’s family, including paying out the remainder of his contract to secure their financial future.
The discovery of the tire flaw has shifted the narrative around the crash, challenging earlier assumptions that speed alone was to blame. Two lorry drivers, José Aleixo Duarte and José Azevedo, who witnessed the incident, had disputed police claims of excessive speed, insisting the Lamborghini was traveling at a moderate pace. They described the A-52 as a notoriously dangerous road, riddled with potholes and poor maintenance, which may have compounded the tire’s failure. The final police report, set to be submitted to the Puebla de Sanabria court, will clarify the interplay of these factors.
As the investigation concludes, the football community and Jota’s family await answers. The defective tire raises broader concerns about vehicle safety and manufacturer accountability, particularly for high-performance cars. For Rute and her children, the loss remains immeasurable, with the image of young Dinis crying, “I need daddy,” haunting millions. Jota’s legacy as a tenacious player and devoted family man endures, but this heartbreaking revelation underscores a preventable tragedy that has left an indelible mark on the world.
