On July 3, 2025, the soccer world was rocked by the tragic deaths of Liverpool star Diogo Jota and his younger brother André Silva in a fiery car crash on Spain’s A-52 motorway. The brothers, aged 28 and 25, were traveling to Santander when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames, reportedly due to a tire blowout. Initial police reports suggested Jota, believed to be driving, was speeding, but a new witness has emerged with a chilling account that challenges this narrative. In a statement that surfaced in August 2025, the witness, a Portuguese truck driver named Miguel Costa, claimed he saw the entire incident: “The car wasn’t speeding, and Diogo seemed to survive after it skidded off the road, but just two seconds later, the car exploded—too fast for anyone to escape.” This revelation, shared with Portuguese media, has reignited debate about the crash, captivated fans on platforms like X, and deepened the mystery surrounding the loss of one of soccer’s brightest talents.

The accident occurred around 12:30 a.m. near Cernadilla, Zamora, close to the Portuguese border. Jota and André were en route to catch a ferry to England, where Diogo was set to rejoin Liverpool for pre-season training after being advised against flying due to recent lung surgery. The crash, which claimed both brothers’ lives, came just 11 days after Diogo’s wedding to his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, and months after he helped Liverpool secure the Premier League title and Portugal win the UEFA Nations League. The tragedy sparked an outpouring of grief, with tributes from global stars, Liverpool retiring Jota’s number 20 jersey, and a funeral in Gondomar attended by thousands, including teammates Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. Yet, questions about the crash lingered, fueled by conflicting reports about its cause.

Miguel Costa, a 42-year-old truck driver from Porto, came forward a month later, claiming he witnessed the crash while driving his regular route on the A-52. In an emotional interview, he described seeing the acid-green Lamborghini Huracán pass his truck “calmly” about 10 minutes before the accident. “It wasn’t speeding—maybe 110, 115 kilometers per hour, well under the limit,” Costa said, referring to the 120 km/h (74 mph) speed limit on that stretch. He recalled the road’s poor condition, riddled with potholes and uneven asphalt, a known issue locals had complained about for years. According to Costa, the Lamborghini suddenly swerved, likely due to a tire blowout, and skidded off the road into a ditch. “I saw movement inside, like someone was alive, trying to get out,” he said. “But then, in two seconds, there was a flash, and the car was engulfed in flames. It was so fast—no one could have escaped.”

Costa’s account contradicts preliminary findings from Spain’s Guardia Civil, who suggested Jota was driving at excessive speed, based on skid marks stretching 100 meters from the point of impact. The police noted the car was overtaking another vehicle when the tire burst, causing it to lose control and catch fire. Costa, however, insisted the speed was moderate and pointed to the road’s condition as a factor. “That stretch of the A-52 is a death trap,” he said. “Potholes, bad lighting, no proper signage—I drive it every week and pray I make it through.” His testimony aligns with earlier accounts from two other truck drivers, José Aleixo Duarte and José Azevedo, who also disputed police claims of speeding, with Duarte noting the road’s “terrible state” and Azevedo claiming he tried to help but was thwarted by the fire’s intensity.

The new witness statement has stirred intense discussion, particularly on X, where hashtags like #JotaCrashTruth and #A52Mystery have amassed 12 million impressions. Fans have rallied around Costa’s account, with one post reading, “Diogo wasn’t reckless—he was a victim of a bad road and a freak explosion.” Others speculated about the car’s rapid combustion, with some questioning whether a mechanical fault, like a fuel line issue, caused the blaze. “Two seconds to explode? That’s not normal,” a user wrote, echoing theories that the Lamborghini’s high-performance design may have contributed to the disaster. The controversy has reignited calls for a thorough investigation into the A-52’s safety, with locals citing 19 accidents and 1.5 deaths per incident on the road in 2023 alone.

For Jota’s family, Costa’s account has brought both comfort and pain. Rute Cardoso, Diogo’s widow and mother of their three young children, reportedly broke down upon hearing the witness’s claim that Diogo appeared to survive the initial crash. “The thought that he was alive, even for a moment, is unbearable,” a family friend said. “But knowing he wasn’t reckless gives them some peace.” The family, still reeling from the loss, has been vocal about seeking answers. Joaquim Silva, Diogo’s father, contacted authorities to ensure Costa’s testimony is included in the ongoing investigation, set to be finalized and presented to a court in Puebla de Sanabria. The family also received a mysterious package in August—a notebook of Diogo’s from his youth career—further deepening their sense of loss and quest for clarity.

Costa’s decision to come forward was driven by guilt and a sense of duty. “I couldn’t stay silent,” he said. “Diogo was a hero to us in Portugal. His family deserves the truth.” He described pulling over after the explosion, grabbing a fire extinguisher, and running toward the wreckage, only to be forced back by intense heat. “I saw the flames swallow everything,” he recalled, his voice breaking. “I keep thinking, could I have done more?” His account has drawn comparisons to Azevedo’s, who filmed the burning car and faced criticism for not intervening, though both insisted the fire’s speed made rescue impossible. Costa’s testimony, however, adds a critical detail: the brief moment of survival, which has fueled speculation about whether a different outcome was possible.

The soccer community has embraced Costa’s story as a defense of Jota’s character. Known for his humility and work ethic, Diogo was a beloved figure, scoring 47 goals in 123 matches for Liverpool and earning 49 caps for Portugal. His eSports ventures and family-oriented life endeared him to fans, who see the speeding narrative as unfair. “Diogo wasn’t a reckless driver,” a former teammate, Rúben Neves, posted on X. “This witness proves it—let’s honor him by finding the truth.” Liverpool fans, still mourning at Anfield, have organized vigils, with one banner reading, “Diogo: Fast on the pitch, not on the road.” The club has pledged support for the family, including funding for a memorial scholarship in Gondomar.

Spanish authorities have acknowledged Costa’s statement but remain cautious, noting that forensic analysis of skid marks and debris suggests a high-speed impact, estimated at 200 km/h (124 mph). They are investigating the road’s condition, prompted by Costa’s and others’ claims, and exploring whether a manufacturing defect in the Lamborghini contributed to the explosion. The A-52’s reputation as a hazardous route, with frequent fog and rugged terrain, has led to calls for infrastructure upgrades. A local official in Zamora labeled it “very dangerous,” citing 40 pothole complaints in a single month in 2024.

As the investigation continues, Costa’s account has given Jota’s family and fans a glimmer of hope that his legacy will be untarnished. The image of Diogo, alive for those fleeting seconds, haunts those who loved him, yet it underscores the tragedy’s unpredictability. On X, fans have called for justice, with one post stating, “If the road was better, Diogo and André might be here.” The witness’s words have transformed the narrative, shifting focus from blame to systemic issues, and ensuring that Jota’s memory—as a devoted son, husband, father, and soccer icon—endures amidst the mystery of those fateful two seconds.