In the wake of the tragic loss of Diogo Jota, the 28-year-old Liverpool and Portugal star who died in a car accident on July 3, 2025, a heartwarming story has emerged from his grieving family. Dinis, Jota’s four-year-old son, has begun displaying extraordinary football skills, mirroring the flair and passion of his late father. Rute Cardoso, Jota’s widow, shared an emotional reflection in an interview with A Bola on August 5, 2025, saying, “The boy is just like his father. I always look at him to find the strength to keep going whenever I miss Diogo.” This poignant glimpse into Dinis’s budding talent offers a bittersweet reminder of Jota’s legacy, providing hope and inspiration to his family and fans worldwide.
A Tragic Loss and a Family’s Resilience
Diogo Jota’s untimely death, alongside his brother André Silva, in a car crash on Spain’s A-52 highway shocked the football community. The accident, caused by a tire blowout in their Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder, occurred as the brothers traveled to Santander to catch a ferry to England, a journey necessitated by Jota’s recent lung surgery that barred him from flying. The tragedy struck just 11 days after Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso, his childhood sweetheart, leaving her to raise their three children—Dinis (4), Duarte (2), and Mafalda (8 months)—alone. Jota’s illustrious career, marked by 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool and two UEFA Nations League titles with Portugal, ended at its peak, amplifying the sense of loss felt globally.
Rute, who met Jota in 2012 at a high school library in Gondomar, Portugal, has faced immense grief. Her Instagram posts, though private, have captured moments of their family’s happiness, from a Lapland vacation in March 2025 to their intimate June 22 wedding in Porto. Her tribute on July 22, marking their one-month anniversary, read, “1 month of our ‘until death do us part’… I will be yours forever,” resonating with fans who mourned alongside her. Yet, amid this sorrow, Dinis’s emerging talent has become a beacon of hope, reflecting the spirit of his father, whom fans dubbed “Jota – Kẻ cắp không gian” (the space thief) for his uncanny ability to find and exploit gaps on the pitch.
Dinis’s Remarkable Talent at Four
Dinis, born in 2021, has already shown a natural aptitude for football that echoes his father’s early promise. In a video shared by Rute on Instagram, reposted by A Bola, the four-year-old is seen dribbling a small football with surprising control in their Liverpool backyard. His quick footwork, balance, and instinctive ball-handling have drawn comparisons to Jota’s trademark style—marked by pace, dribbling, and composure in tight spaces. “He’s got Diogo’s touch,” said Miguel Goncalves, Jota’s former physiotherapist, in a Record interview. “Even at four, you can see the same spark, the same joy in playing.”
Rute, speaking to A Bola, described Dinis’s love for football as a source of comfort. “He’s just like his father,” she said. “The way he kicks the ball, the way he runs after it with that big smile—it’s like watching Diogo again. I always look at him to find the strength to keep going whenever I miss Diogo.” She recounted how Dinis, unaware of his father’s passing due to his young age, often asks to play “like Papá” and mimics Jota’s iconic goal celebration, mimicking a gamer’s pose from his eSports passion. This resemblance has moved Rute deeply, offering her a connection to her late husband as she navigates single motherhood.
Local coaches in Gondomar, where Jota opened a football academy in 2022, have also noted Dinis’s potential. António Mendes, a youth coach who knew Jota, told O Jogo, “Dinis is fearless with the ball, just like Diogo was at his age. He’s already trying tricks most kids his age wouldn’t dare.” Mendes shared that Dinis often joins informal kickabouts at the academy, where his enthusiasm and natural talent stand out. “It’s early, but you can see he’s inherited something special,” he added.
A Father’s Influence and a Child’s Passion
Diogo Jota’s passion for football was evident from his youth in Porto, where he idolized Cristiano Ronaldo and honed his skills at Paços de Ferreira before rising through Atlético Madrid, FC Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Liverpool. His relentless work rate, described by Liverpool assistant Pepijn Lijnders as that of a “pressing monster,” and his knack for clutch goals—like the record-breaking 22-second strike after coming off the bench against Arsenal in 2024—made him a fan favorite.
Jota’s influence on Dinis was profound, even in his short time as a father. Rute shared in the A Bola interview that Jota often played with Dinis in their backyard, teaching him basic skills like passing and controlling the ball. “Diogo would spend hours with him, laughing and cheering every time Dinis got it right,” she said. “He’d say, ‘This one’s going to be better than me!’” These moments, captured in family photos Jota frequently shared on Instagram in his signature pink-toned aesthetic, reflect a devoted father whose love for football was matched by his love for his family.
Beyond football, Jota’s second career in eSports, where he topped global FIFA 21 Champions rankings and won the 2020 ePremier League Invitational, showed his competitive spirit. Dinis, Rute noted, has started mimicking this side of his father too, pretending to play FIFA on a toy controller, further echoing Jota’s multifaceted legacy.
@rutecfcardoso 😭😭@Dinis jota
Rute Cardoso’s Strength and Vision
Rute Cardoso, now 29, has become a symbol of resilience. A psychology and marketing graduate who worked at a children’s care center, she put her career on hold to support Jota’s rise, moving with him from Portugal to England. Her quiet strength was evident at Jota’s funeral on July 5, 2025, at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar, where she helped carry his coffin despite her grief. Her discovery of Jota’s diary, revealing his secret battle with an autoimmune condition alongside his lung issues, deepened her resolve to honor his memory. She now plans to share excerpts to raise awareness about athletes’ health struggles.
Dinis’s football talent has given Rute a renewed sense of purpose. “When I see Dinis play, I see Diogo’s spirit,” she told A Bola. “It’s what keeps me going, knowing I’m raising our children to carry his love for life.” She has enrolled Dinis in a local Liverpool youth program, where he trains once a week, and plans to bring him to Jota’s Gondomar academy during summer visits to Portugal. Rute also hopes to establish a foundation in Jota’s name to support young athletes, particularly those facing health challenges, inspired by her husband’s openness about mental health in a 2024 Liverpool interview.
The Football Community’s Response
Dinis’s emerging talent has touched the football world, with tributes to Jota often mentioning his family. Liverpool, which retired Jota’s number 20 shirt and pledged to pay his salary to Rute until 2027, shared a video of Dinis’s skills on their official X account, captioned, “Like father, like son. Diogo’s legacy lives on.” Fans responded with heartfelt messages, one writing, “Dinis is Diogo’s little mirror. Rute, you’re so strong for him and the kids.” Another posted, “Seeing Dinis play makes me tear up. He’s got Jota’s magic.”
Former teammates, including Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, have reached out to Rute, offering support for Dinis’s future. Fernandes, who attended the funeral, told Sky Sports, “Diogo would be so proud of Dinis. That boy’s got something special, just like his dad.” The Portuguese Football Federation has also expressed interest in supporting Dinis, with plans to dedicate a youth tournament in Jota’s name, where Dinis could one day participate.
A Broader Impact
Dinis’s story has sparked conversations about legacy and resilience in the face of loss. Football pundits, like Gary Neville, have praised Rute’s strength, with Neville noting on X, “Dinis carrying Diogo’s spirit on the pitch is beautiful. Rute’s courage is an inspiration.” The story has also highlighted the importance of early talent development, with Liverpool’s youth academy reportedly monitoring Dinis’s progress, though emphasizing no pressure given his age.
The tragedy of Jota’s death, compounded by the loss of André, has prompted safety discussions about high-performance vehicles like the Lamborghini, which had a history of recalls. Fans and analysts have also called for better support systems for athletes’ families, with Rute’s experience underscoring the emotional toll of sudden loss.
Conclusion
At just four years old, Dinis Jota is already showing the footballing flair that made his father, Diogo Jota, a beloved star. His skillful dribbling and infectious joy on the ball are a living tribute to Jota’s legacy, offering solace to Rute Cardoso as she navigates unimaginable grief. Her words—“I always look at him to find the strength to keep going”—capture the profound connection between Dinis’s budding talent and his father’s enduring spirit. As Rute raises Dinis, Duarte, and Mafalda, supported by Liverpool and the football community, Dinis’s early promise suggests that Jota’s passion for the game will live on, inspiring a new generation to play with heart and resilience.
