At first, there was only silence. Then came the disbelief. Then came the tributes. Because who could believe it? Diogo Jota, 28 years old, a father of three, fresh off Portugal’s Nations League triumph, just married to his high school sweetheart last month, was gone.

Only days ago, he was sharing wedding photos with the world. Only weeks ago, this Liverpool forward was scoring goals for his country. Now, he had become the subject of a headline no one ever imagined seeing. And the shock reached far beyond football, even Frankie Dettori, the ever-celebratory face of horse racing, fell quiet.

Well, Frankie Dettori was heartbroken when he heard the news, a young man, with his whole life ahead of him, suddenly gone on the 2nd of July. “The most awful news, may he rest in peace 🙏,” he posted on X. That message came in response to broadcaster Piers Morgan’s confirmation that Diogo Jota and his younger brother had died in a tragic car crash. It didn’t matter that they were in a Lamborghini. Sometimes, not even that kind of power and prestige can protect you. Life, as it often does, reminded us just how fragile it can be. So what exactly happened?

It happened just on 2nd July, in the morning, on a lonely stretch of road in north-western Spain. Diogo Jota was in a Lamborghini with his younger brother, Andre, a 26-year-old professional footballer for Penafiel. They were driving through the province of Zamora when disaster struck. Police later said one of the car’s rear tires suddenly burst. In an instant, the driver lost control. The car veered off the road and erupted into flames.

The fire spread quickly through the dry grassland, lighting up the night. By the time firefighters arrived, there was nothing more they could do. Both brothers were gone. Jota, so full of drive and finesse on the pitch, had been building a beautiful life off it, too. A young husband, a father, a man finally stepping into his prime. And just like that, everything was taken from him. But no matter what, his achievements will never be forgotten, nor the wedding reel he shared just 23 hours earlier.

Diogo Jota was a man who will be remembered for all the right reasons

Like so many others, Frankie Dettori won’t ever forget him. Because Diogo Jota wasn’t just a footballer, he was the kind of player young kids dream of becoming. He was a young boy with a ball at his feet and fire in his heart. He climbed through the ranks until, in 2020, he landed a $55.72 million move from Wolves to Liverpool. From that moment on, he never stopped delivering. He found the net 65 times in 182 appearances, helping Liverpool win trophy after trophy: the Premier League title, the FA Cup, the Community Shield, and two Carabao Cups.

Before all that, he had helped Wolves earn promotion by winning the Championship in 2018. And for Portugal, he was just as fearless—49 caps, two Nations League titles, and a starring role in their final victory over Spain just last month. But beyond the stats and silverware, Jota played with something rarer: joy and a heart that connected with everyone who watched him. He was known in the Liverpool dressing room for his warm personality, quick smile, and how easily he connected with people. He was the kind of teammate everyone liked having around. And just weeks before the crash, life had reached a joyful new peak for him off the pitch too. On June 22, Jota married his long-time partner, Rute Cardoso, in a beautiful ceremony in Porto. The two had been together since high school, dating since 2013, a year before he turned professional.

They were still riding the high of their wedding, sharing moments with the world. Rute posted a photo from their big day with the caption: “Yes to forever.” Just 23 hours before that, Jota had shared a reel on Instagram, Rute walking down the aisle, the music, the light, the smiles. “A day we will never forget,” he wrote. And now, that’s all she has, a memory frozen in time. The gown, the vows, the promise of forever. Together, they had three young children. Life was just beginning to bloom, and in an instant, it all came crashing down.

Even Pedro Proença, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation shared on X: “The Portuguese football federation and the entire Portuguese football community are completely devastated by the death of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva.”Also, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher wrote on Instagram: “Absolutely devastated by the sad news about Diogo Jota. Thoughts are with his wife Rute and their three kids.” So when Frankie Dettori posted his tribute, it resonated because of its truth.

Sports can feel like separate worlds; football and horse racing rarely overlap. But grief collapses borders. Dettori, like millions of others, saw a young man with the world at his feet and felt the injustice of it all. We mourn Jota not just for what he did, but for what he was becoming. A husband. A father. A champion. A light gone out far too soon.