Liverpool and Portugal star Diogo Jota's tragic death in a car crash in Zamora, Spain, on Thursday has left the footballer's wife, Rute Cardoso, devastated. She has become the widow of Diogo just 11 days after getting married, fulfilling a love story that blossomed since their teenage days. The fatal car crash took place in the early hours of Thursday morning when Diogo and his brother André Silva were travelling. Their vehicle veered off the road and ended up engulfed in flames. Both were pronounced dead, according to emergency services who arrived at the scene after receiving several calls.

The brutality of the accident, according to Spanish sports daily Marca, left no room for action for the medical staff, leaving the footballing world in shock. Diogo is survived by his wife, Rute, and their three children. He was 28.

After several years of togetherness, the couple had tied the knot on June 22 in a secrete wedding ceremony in Porto. "A day we will never forget," Diogo wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. But their joy of wedding was crushed by the tragedy of the accident, leaving Rute in unbearable pain. Rute had been the driving force behind Diogo's rise as a footballer. Their stable relationship helped Diogo grow in his career, with Rute providing him the emotional support throughout his young career.

For Rute, life has taken a sharp turn as she finds it tough to come to terms with the sudden change. In just a few days, she has had to go from signing the marriage certificate to beginning the mourning for her husband's death. In Diogo's absence, she is now entrusted with the difficult task of looking after their children and rebuilding her life.

Diogo had been a respected footballer. He most recently won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal last month. A winger by trade, he earned 123 caps for Liverpool, scoring 47 goals. The most pivotal moment of his stint with the Reds came when Liverpool won the Premier League title earlier this year.

Born in Porto, Portugal, on December 4, 1996, Diogo began his career in his native country, coming through the Paços de Ferreira academy before joining Atlético Madrid in 2016. But he never made an appearance for the LaLiga side. He moved to FC Porto on loan the city and then Wolves, where he eventually made a permanent move in 2018. In 2020, he had signed for Liverpool.