FC Bayern in mourning: Tragic loss of Jota and brother Silva

FC Bayern in mourning: Tragic loss of Jota and brother Silva

In tragic news, football is mourning the loss of Diogo Jota, a 28-year-old Liverpool FC player, and his 25-year-old brother André Silva, who died in a serious road accident in Spain. The fatal incident occurred on the A52 near Cernadilla on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. The brothers, traveling in a rented neon green Lamborghini Huracán, lost control of the vehicle, which left the road when a tire burst, crashed through the guardrail and burst into flames. As Welt reports, excessive speed may have played a role, as investigations by the Spanish Civil Guard indicate that the accident occurred during an overtaking maneuver.

The FC Bayern team, in which Raphael Guerreiro and João Palhinha, among others, worked with Jota for years in the Portuguese national team, held a minute's silence in honor of the two deceased. Coach Vincent Kompany, who particularly felt the sadness, reminded his team that there are more important things in life than football and that they should stick together in such difficult times. “We stand together and we support each other,” said Kompany, as Bild reports.

Details about the accident and the funeral service

The two brothers were burned beyond recognition in the accident, meaning their remains had to be sent to a forensic institute for identification. The grieving family began preparing late Thursday for the funeral, which will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time at the parish church in Gondomar, near Porto. Diogo Jota leaves behind his wife Rute Cardoso, to whom he was married on June 22nd, just eleven days before his death, and their three children. Cardoso received psychological help to deal with the sudden loss.

According to information from the Spanish authorities, Jota had undergone lung surgery just a short time before the accident and was advised not to fly because he was suffering from pneumothorax. Instead he wanted to take a ferry from Santander to Great Britain to take part in Liverpool FC's preparation. It was unclear whether Jota or Silva was behind the wheel of the vehicle.

Traffic accidents in the German context

The tragedy is a reminder of the dangers of road traffic that are not eliminated in Germany. In 2023, there were around 2.5 million road traffic accidents in this country, with the number having risen steadily over the past few decades. Although many accidents result in property damage, the number of accidents resulting in personal injury remains at a similar level to previous decades. Inappropriate speed is one of the most common causes, as Statista reports. Particularly worrying remains the trend of traffic fatalities, which will continue to be a major problem in 2023, despite initiatives such as “Vision Zero” being aimed at reducing the number of traffic fatalities to zero by 2050.

At a time when traffic flow continues to increase, this tragic incident reminds us of the fragile lines of life that can be crossed by careless driving. Our condolences go out to the relatives of Diogo Jota and André Silva, whom we wish much strength during this difficult time.