Diogo Jota's Widow Reveals Late Footballer's Final Message Before Tragic Crash In New Biography

Last Updated:April 03, 2026, 15:06 IST

Widow Rute Cardoso shares final messages to Diogo Jota before his fatal 2023 Spain car crash in new biography, with tributes from top football figures

The widow of Diogo Jota is set to share an emotional account of their final moments together in a new biography, revealing the heartbreaking message she sent him shortly before his fatal accident.

Rute Cardoso is expected to disclose that she had messaged her husband, unaware of the crash, asking him to call her when he stopped driving so she could show him their wedding video.

Who Was Diogo Jota And How Did He Die?

Jota, who played for Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers, tragically died at the age of 28 in a car crash in Spain on July 3 last year. He was travelling in a Lamborghini Huracan with his older brother, Andre Silva, when the accident occurred on a motorway near Zamora as he headed towards Santander.

The couple, childhood sweethearts, had married in Porto just 11 days before the tragedy, after 13 years together. The official biography, titled ‘Nunca Mais é Muito Tempo’ (“Never Again Is a Long Time"), has been written by former footballer Jose Manuel Delgado and will be released in Portugal on April 9.

What Is The Book?

Speaking about the book, TV presenter Isabel Figueira said: “What shook me the most when reading an excerpt from the book is the way Rute narrates the last messages she sends him, which Diogo never receives. She says she had just received the wedding video and she says, ‘Love, when you stop, call me, because I have something here to show you,’ and it was this video."

Rute also describes how she became increasingly worried when Jota did not respond, contacting his hotel, hospitals, police, and even a relative with connections to the Spanish traffic authorities.

The Man That Was Diogo

In another excerpt, she says: “Unlike most players, who like flashy cars, jewellery and watches, Diogo was never into that scene.

“The vehicles we had were enough for him. Perhaps because he was never very interested in cars, he took the opportunity to have the experience of driving a Ferrari, which, in fact, he returned on the morning of our wedding. Afterwards, he would rent the Lamborghini."

The book also features contributions from the likes of Arne Slot, Jurgen Klopp, Roberto Martinez, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva – an emotional tribute to Jota’s life, career and character beyond football.

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