Diogo Jota’s wife Rute Cardoso posted a now-tragic tribute to her footballer husband, where she wrote: “We said it would be until death tore us apart, today I say not even death can do that”.

In a heartbreaking message, posted in 2019, she wrote: “Seven years ago two kids, 15 and 16 years old, began their story. Two friends, same class, that never even dreamed what the future could bring!

“Who would’ve thought that it would turn out like this.. who would’ve thought that seven years later we would have lived in three different countries, visited ten countries and we still are the same two kids! Happy! We know highs and lows but we keep pushing and overcoming our own goals, holding each other’s hand.”

Heartbreakingly, she added: “We grew up together and we’ll grow old together too! Seven years ago we said it would be until death tore us apart. Today I say not even death can do that.”

Diogo died after a car crash in Spain on Thursday morning. His brother Andre also died. Pedro Proenca, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, paid tribute to Jota in a statement on social media shortly after the news broke.

He said: “The Portuguese Football Federation and all of Portuguese football are completely devastated by the death of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, this early morning, in Spain.

“Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 international appearances for the national team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.”

Rute and Diogo had been together since they were teenagers in high school and had recently finally got married just recently. Alongside a video of their nuptials, she captioned it: “A day we will never forget.”

Diogo and Rute as childhood sweethearts ( 

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Diogo recently did an interview where he spoke about being a young dad. He said in the video shared on Facebook: “It was a bit of a shock when I first found out, but when the baby was put in my arms for the first time… you always think about that moment but when it actually happens, you can’t describe the feeling.

“One of the midwives offered for me to cut the cord, but I couldn’t do it, I’m too sensitive.” When asked for advice for any new dads, Diogo said: “I would say speak to Joe because he’s more experienced but I would say patience is key.”