Liverpool part-owner LeBron James pays tribute to Diogo Jota

LeBron James has sent his prayers to the family of Diogo Jota following the Liverpool soccer player's heartbreaking death at the age of 28.

Jota, who won the Premier League title with Liverpool last season, and his younger brother Andre, 26, were tragically killed in a car accident near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal, early Thursday morning.

The Portuguese forward was travelling in his Lamborghini with Andre, also a professional soccer player, when one of its tires is said to have blown out and sent the supercar careering off the road.

After rolling over, the Lamborghini then burst into flames at around 12.35am. The emergency services were called but the brothers could not be saved. Police say they don't yet know who was driving.

The soccer world has been rocked by the devastating news, with tributes pouring in for Diogo, who only married the mother of his three children two weeks ago, and Andre on Thursday following their tragic passing.

And LeBron, who has been a part-owner of Liverpool Football Club since 2011, has offered his condolences to the Jota family while paying his respects on social media.

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Cristiano Ronaldo shares heartbreaking tribute to Diogo Jota after Portugal team-mate dies aged 28

The basketball legend wrote on X: 'My prayers goes out to his loved ones during this time! May you all be guided and protected! YNWA [You'll Never Walk Alone] JOTA!!'

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

The Premier League winner 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.

Liverpool FC 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 their Anfield stadium today, with many fans in tears. 

Cristiano Ronaldo, Jota's friend and teammate and Portugal's greatest player, said today: 'It doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together for the national team, you were just married. 

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

Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He also played for Portugal's national team and helped it win the Nations League last month in an extraordinary win over rivals Spain on penalties.

His younger brother played for Penafiel, in the second tier of Portuguese soccer.

According to CNN Portugal, Diogo was driving through northern Spain from Portugal to catch a ferry to the UK after being advised not to fly after a recent surgery.

Medics reportedly told the Liverpool star he shouldn't catch a plane after the operation, so he was heading to get a ferry instead. 

Liverpool are due to start pre-season training on Monday, so the player was heading back to the UK just two weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart.