Investigators deem there was no criminal liability in car crash that killed Diogo Jota and his brother

Spanish investigators ruled in court that there was no criminal liability for the accident that killed former Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva.

Jota and Silva died in a car accident in northern Spain on July 3, 2025, when their Lamborghini left the A‑52 motorway near Cernadilla.

After the investigation, the Spanish court determined that the accident was caused by the Lamborghini’s tire bursting while overtaking a car, then crashing into a barrier in the middle of the road and bursting into flames.

The High Court of Justice in the northwestern Spanish province of Zamora concluded, after reviewing all the evidence, that no criminal proceedings were necessary in relation to the deaths of both Jota and Silva.

In a report From The AthleticA review of the case file and the help of road traffic collision experts revealed that the courts ‘dismissed the case last November’.

An official from the Supreme Court of Castilla y León continued to the press: “The dismissal of the criminal case does not preclude the possibility of the affected parties to file civil suits to demand whatever they see fit.”

Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva (left) died in a traffic accident in northern Spain on July 3, 2025.

The brothers were heading to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to catch a ferry to the UK, while Jota was due to return to Liverpool for pre-season.

Jota was driving after medical experts advised him not to travel by plane following lung surgery earlier in the summer.

He had married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, in a church in Porto, Portugal, just 11 days before the devastating crash.

A funeral was held for both Jota and Silva two days after their devastating deaths at a chapel in Gondomar, a city overlooking Porto where both brothers played during their academy careers.

The Liverpool team attended the funeral and club captain Virgil van Dijk carried a wreath in the shape of a football jersey featuring Jota’s No20 to the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.

Jota’s close friend Andrew Robertson carried a wreath bearing Silva’s club number, No30.

Silva was also a professional footballer at the time of his death, playing for Portuguese second-tier club FC Penafiel after coming through Porto’s academy.

A number of touching tributes have been made to the memory of both Jota and Silva since their tragic deaths.

While Liverpool retired Jota’s number 20 jersey across all teams in the summer, fans continued to honor their former hero by singing Jota’s song in the 20th minute of every home match this season.

Various memorial services have been held in memory of both Jota and Silva since their tragic deaths

Liverpool owners FSG have also committed to looking after Rute and his three children. This commitment included confirming that they would honor the full Liverpool contract.

The contract, reportedly worth around £140,000 per week, was expected to expire in 2027.

When Jota’s former clubs Liverpool and Wolves faced each other in the Premier League in December, two of his three children appeared as mascots.

While the fans of both teams remembered Jota wholeheartedly throughout the match, Rute thanked the fans of both teams after the match.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the club and all the fans for the love, respect and support shown during this incredibly difficult time,” he wrote on Instagram after the match.

‘Your messages and gestures mean more than words can.’

Jota was a key player in Liverpool’s 20th league title last season, scoring 10 goals against Arne Slot.