'Road of Death' Takes Jota's Life

Route A-52 is considered the "road of death".

After the tragic accident that occurred at km 65 of the A-52 highway in Zamora (Spain), many opinions expressed outrage about this road, which is considered to be full of dangers. The A-52 route has long been called the "giant pothole of death" by the driving community.

On social network X , a series of comments appeared immediately after the tragedy, with words full of indignation. "This is not a highway, the road is full of potholes", "I have been through it and am always afraid of broken shock absorbers". "I drove through A-52 in 2023, it was really bad", "I can't believe it hasn't been repaired yet"... are the common reactions of the online community.

However, police investigators stressed that they could not confirm whether the road surface condition was directly related to the cause of the accident. There has been no official report confirming that the pothole was the factor that caused the Jota tire to explode, but the fear still haunts those who regularly travel on this route.

Meanwhile, the shared images of the accident scene made everyone choke up. The long streak of fire on the dry grass by the roadside, the pile of burned steel frames, and the debris scattered on the rough asphalt were evidence of the fateful moment that no one could escape.

According to the Spanish Guardia Civil, the Lamborghini carrying Jota and his brother had a tire blowout while overtaking another vehicle, lost control, veered off the road and burst into flames. When rescuers arrived, the car was reduced to a pile of charred scrap metal. Jota and his brother were confirmed dead at the scene.

"We have opened an investigation, the traces left behind indicate a flat tire. A full report will take at least four to five days, possibly longer, but initially it can be confirmed that no other vehicles were involved, no one else was injured. The specific speed will also be clarified when the skid marks are analysed," said a Guardia Civil spokesman.

Close-up of the location of the Jota accident.

Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca issued an emotional statement: "More than a talented player with almost 50 caps for the national team, Diogo Jota was a great person, respected by his teammates and opponents. He always spread joy and was an example to the community. We would like to send our deepest condolences to Diogo's family, Andre Silva, Liverpool FC and Penafiel FC."

To commemorate Jota and Andre, the Portuguese Football Federation asked UEFA to hold a minute's silence before the match between the Portuguese women's team and Spain at the 2025 Women's Euro finals on the morning of July 4. "We have lost two excellent sons. Every day from now on, we will strive to be worthy of their legacy," President Proenca shared.

The tragedy was even more heartbreaking when, just on June 22, Jota held a wedding ceremony with Rute Cardoso - his longtime girlfriend, the wife who has been with him through all the ups and downs. They have 3 children together, a family that Jota once proudly boasted of as a solid support every time he returned to the field after an injury. All that is now left behind is the burnt-out steering wheel of the fateful car.

Jota's journey ended briefly, but his goals, his tireless pressing and his fighting spirit will live on forever with Anfield, with Massarelos, where he started his football dream. But the pain behind him is also a reminder of the dangerous roads, the dreams that sometimes stop because of a cruel pothole.

Source: https://znews.vn/con-duong-tu-than-cuop-di-sinh-mang-jota-post1565856.html