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Who was Andre Silva? Diogo Jota's brother who died in tragic car crash, played football in Portugal's second tier league
Diogo Jota's brother, Andre Silva, who also died in the car crash, was a professional footballer playing in the second tier of Portuguese league.
Diogo Jota, Liverpool and Portugal's star footballer, tragically died in a car crash alongside his brother, Andre Silva. The accident took place in the Zamorana region of Sanabria in Spain. According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Jota was driving the vehicle from Penafiel when it ran off the road and caught fire. Multiple eyewitnesses reported that the car was engulfed in flames almost immediately, while also spreading to the nearby vegetation.
Jota's brother, Andre Silva, was 25 and also a professional footballer who played for FC Penafiel in the Portuguese second tier. He had recently completed his campaign, with the side finishing 11th in the league.
Silva played as an attacking midfielder, and was seen as a footballer with a promising career in the domestic setup. He began his career with Gondomar SC's youth setup before joining FC Porto at a similar level. Silva joined Penafiel in 2020 and soon established himself as a regular player in the squad.
Justifiably, Silva remained far away from the spotlight due to Diogo's relatively significant club and international career. The two brothers, however, shared a close bond and had a tightly-knit relationship. Jota has, on multiple occasions, shared pictures of himself with his brother on vacations and training sessions.
In fact, only ten days before the accident, they had celebrated Diogo's wedding in Sanabria.
Portugal federation reacts
The president of the Portuguese Football Federatio, Pedro Proenca, issued a statement on the deaths of Jota and Silva.
"The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the deaths of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva this morning in Spain," he said.
"Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.
"On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and Andre Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players."
