Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has paid tribute to Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car accident in northern Spain on July 3. The Portuguese international was 28.
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Plant, a lifelong Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter and Vice President of the club, expressed his grief on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “What a tragic loss. The dimming of a bright, shining light. Thank you for your magic, Diogo.”
The accident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning as Jota was traveling from Portugal to Santander, where he planned to take a ferry back to England for pre-season training. He had been advised not to fly following minor surgery.
His younger brother, Andre Silva, also a professional footballer in Portugal, was killed in the crash at age 25. According to CNN, Spain’s Guardia Civil said the accident was likely caused by a “burst tire while overtaking.”
Plant’s connection to Jota goes beyond music fandom. The rock icon has been a vice president at Wolves since 2009 and has attended countless matches at Molineux over the years. Jota’s time at Wolves was a pivotal chapter in his career; after arriving on loan in 2017, he helped secure the club’s promotion to the Premier League and stayed on to establish himself as a standout forward.
Tributes poured in from across the football and entertainment worlds following the news. Cristiano Ronaldo shared an emotional message: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, you had just got married. Rest in peace, Diogo e Andre. We will miss you.” Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp described Jota as “not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father.”
Jota’s sudden passing comes just 11 days after he married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso. He is survived by Cardoso and their three young children.
