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Portugal midfielder, Rúben Neves has again publicly remembered and spoken emotionally about the death of his close friend and compatriot, Diogo Jota, calling the day he learnt of the tragedy the hardest of his life.
Jota, the Liverpool and Portugal forward, and his brother André Silva, a 25-year-old professional footballer, died in a car crash in the early hours of July 3, 2025, near Cernadilla in the province of Zamora, northwestern Spain.
The pair were driving a Lamborghini Huracán back to Liverpool for pre-season training when a tyre blowout while overtaking caused the vehicle to veer off the A-52 motorway, leave the road, and catch fire.
Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.
In an interview during the ongoing World Cup, Neves reflected on the profound impact of the loss.
“The news of Diogo Jota’s passing was the hardest day of my life,” he said.
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The 29-year-old Al Hilal star described the immediate aftermath as devastating but credited his desire to honour Jota and the support of his wife, Débora, with helping him continue playing.
Neves, who was one of Jota’s closest friends and served as best man at his wedding, revealed he maintains an ongoing connection by continuing to message him in a WhatsApp group that includes Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso.
“I still talk to him, which few people know. We have a WhatsApp group with Rute and Diogo, and we continue to talk there. Whenever something special happens, I have the conversations archived and I continue to message him,” he said.
The two players shared a deep bond that dated back years, including time together in the Portugal national team setup.
Neves was among those visibly moved during a minute’s silence for Jota before Al Hilal’s Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense in July 2025, and he later served as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral in Portugal.
Neves has also paid public tributes to his departed friend, including getting a tattoo commemorating their friendship with the inscription “You will never be forgotten. We are 23+1,” referencing Jota’s Portugal squad number.
