Sports
JUST IN: Liverpool star Diogo Jota, brother dies in car crash days after his wedding
Liverpool star, Diogo Jota has tragically died at the age of 28 following a road traffic accident in Spain.
The Liverpool forward passed away following an accident in Zamora, Spain on Thursday morning.
Pedro Proenca, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, later confirmed that Jota’s brother, Andre, 26, also died in the accident.
The news comes just under two weeks after the Portugal international got married to his long-term girlfriend Rute Cardoso, with whom he has two children. They tied the knot on 22 June.
Emergency services in the Castilla and Leon region confirmed the crash with a statement which read: “The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora.
A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire.
“1-1-2 notified the Zamora Traffic Police, the Zamora Provincial Council Fire Brigade, and the Sacyl Emergency Coordination Center (CCU) of this accident.
“From there, a Medical Emergency Unit (UME) and the Primary Care Medical Staff (MAP) from the Mombuey Health Center were sent, who confirmed the death of two people on the scene.”
Proenca 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 deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, this morning, in Spain.
“Much more than an amazing player, with almost 50 internationalizations for the National A Team, Diogo Jota was an extraordinary person, respected by all teammates and opponents, someone with an infectious joy and a reference in the community itself.
“On my behalf, and on behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation, I express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Diogo and André Silva, as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the clubs where, respectively, lined up the players.
Diogo Jota recently got married to Rute Cardoso”
The Portuguese Football Federation has already asked UEFA for a minute’s silence, this Thursday, before the match of our national team with Spain, in the women’s European Championship.
“Lost to two champs. The disappearance of Diogo and Andre Silva represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football and we will do everything to, daily, honor their legacy.
“Portugal prime minister Luis Montenegro also paid tribute on social media.
He wrote: “The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honoured the name of Portugal, and his brother is unexpected and tragic.
“I leave the family my deepest condolences. It’s a sad day for football and for national and international sport.”
Jota’s previous club, FC Porto, also paid tribute to the forward and his brother.
They wrote: “FC Porto is in mourning. “It is with shock and deep sorrow that we send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who was also our athlete in the youth ranks.
Rest in peace.”Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the Reds, including six last season as the Reds won the Premier League title.
He also won the FA Cup and League Cup with Liverpool and the Nations League twice with the Portugal national team.
Sports
Drake Wins $1 Million After Betting $770,000 on Canada v South Africa Match
Canada sealed the win in stoppage time when Stephen Eustáquio struck the only goal of the game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Canadian rapper Drake has won more than $1 million after Canada beat South Africa 1-0 in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match.
The victory also saw his $770,000 bet return a payout of $1,001,000.
Drake shared a screenshot of the wager on Instagram before kick-off, showing he had backed Canada to qualify.
He said that the bet came after an exchange with South African DJ Black Coffee, writing: ”@realblackcoffee was chirping in the DM I had to raise the STAKES.”
Canada sealed the win in stoppage time when Stephen Eustáquio struck the only goal of the game at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The result sent the co-hosts into the Round of 16 for the first time in FIFA World Cup history.
For South Africa, the defeat ended a memorable campaign.
Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stage for the first time after finishing second in their group and qualifying for the expanded 2026 tournament ahead of Nigeria.
Sports
FIFA bars Nepal from international competitions
FIFA said in a letter to the All Nepal Football Association that the decision came after “undue interference by a third party”, referring to arguments between ANFA and Nepal’s National Sports Council, the country’s authority for sports administration, over governance of Nepali football.
World football’s governing body FIFA has suspended Nepal’s football association, officials said Thursday, barring the country from all international competitions.
Nepal is currently ranked 175th in FIFA’s world rankings.
The women’s national team ranks 88th.
FIFA said in a letter to the All Nepal Football Association that the decision came after “undue interference by a third party”, referring to arguments between ANFA and Nepal’s National Sports Council, the country’s authority for sports administration, over governance of Nepali football.
FIFA holds that a national football association must operate independently of government bodies.
Sports
The World Cup is half over, with 54 of 104 matches complete
“The best is yet to come,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino told SNTV earlier this week.”
• United States’ Alex Freeman (16), second left, celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal during the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Australia in Seattle, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — It’s halftime at the World Cup.
Take a break, everyone.Wednesday marked the midpoint of the 104-match tournament — technically, just past the midpoint, with 54 matches now in the books and 50 remaining before a World Cup champion is crowned in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
The U.S. has reached the Round of 32, which shouldn’t be surprising. Mexico and Canada, the other host nations for this biggest World Cup in history, are also through to the knockout stage. And the stars are positively shining: Argentina’s Lionel Messi has five goals to kick-start what he hopes is a run toward a second consecutive World Cup title. France’s Kylian Mbappé has four, as do Norway’s Erling Haaland and Brazil’s Vinicius Júnior.
Stadiums are mostly filled; FIFA is touting record attendance.
And there have been some feel-good stories, most notably the tale of Cape Verde goalie Vozinha and how his mother was able to come to this World Cup.
“The best is yet to come,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino told SNTV earlier this week.
In other words, the second half of this tournament — just like the second half of matches — is when things might get really good.
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