Cristiano Ronaldo shares heartbreaking tribute to Diogo Jota

Cristiano Ronaldo has shared a heartbreaking tribute to Diogo Jota after his Portugal team-mate died in a car crash on Thursday.

Jota died at the age of 28 after his Lamborghini careered off a road in northern Spain - just two weeks after he married his childhood sweetheart.

The Portuguese forward was travelling in the supercar with his younger brother Andre, 26, a fellow professional footballer who also died in the crash.

The Lamborghini's tyre is believed to have blown out while overtaking on the A-52 at Cernadilla near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal, in the early hours of this morning.

The supercar came off the road, rolled and then burst into flames at around 12.35am, also igniting the surrounding vegetation. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved.

Portugal captain Ronaldo offered his tribute to Jota and his brother Andre in a post on social media.

The tragic news coming just weeks after Ronaldo and Jota had helped Portugal win the Nations League.

'It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had gotten married,' Ronaldo said.

'To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. 

'Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.'

Jota was capped 49 times by Portugal's national team and scored 14 goals at international level.

The forward came off the bench in extra time in the Nations League final between Portugal and Spain last month.

Portugal triumphed in the final after a penalty shoot-out, following a 2-2 draw.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said the moment of presenting the trophy to Portugal will now carry 'sorrow' following the news of Jota's death.

'Just three weeks ago, I had the honour of presenting Diogo Jota with a medal after the UEFA Nations League final - a moment of joy, pride, and celebration that will now forever be burned in memory with sorrow,' Ceferin said.

'His passion, energy and spirit on the field inspired everyone around him. It is devastating to think that a life so full of joy and potential has been taken far too soon. 

'Rest in peace, dear Diogo. You will not be forgotten.'

Liverpool said in a statement that the club is 'devastated' by the tragedy and that Diogo's family, friends and fans had suffered an 'unimaginable loss'. 

Flowers and tributes are being laid outside Anfield today, with many fans in tears.

Jota had just married Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old mother of his three children and partner since the age of 16. 

He had described himself as the luckiest man in the world to be her husband, sharing moving footage of their wedding day in his final Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon.

Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash and two fatalities at around 12.35am on Thursday morning. 

Jota starred for Liverpool as they won the Premier League title in May and also played for Portugal's national team and helped it win the Nations League last month.

His brother played with Portuguese club Penafiel in the lower divisions.

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and won three major trophies with the Merseyside club - including the Premier League title last season.

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Jota's death comes weeks after he married Rute Cardoso and in a social media post wrote, 'Yes to forever.' 

The pair got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together - two sons and a daughter who was born in November.

Jota frequently shared pictures of him and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland.

They also have three pet beagles.

On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: 'A day we will never forget.'