Diogo Jota's death shakes world football

▲ The Portuguese forward was a champion with Liverpool of England and was crowned in the last edition of the Nations League with Portugal. Photo AFP

Ap

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 4, 2025, p. a11

Madrid. Tragedy has now reached football. Liverpool player Diogo Jota, who was at the peak of his career, and his brother died in a car accident in Spain when the Lamborghini they were traveling in left the road and burst into flames.

The Spanish Civil Guard confirmed that Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 25, were found dead near the northwestern city of Zamora.

Jota's death comes weeks after he married Rute Cardoso—with whom he had three children—while on vacation following a long season with Liverpool, the club with which he won the English Premier League.

Yes, forever , Cardoso wrote on his Instagram profile after the wedding a few weeks ago, a message that has resurfaced today, further stirring the excitement among the player's fans. The two had three children, the youngest born last year.

Police were investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred just after midnight local time. They said no other vehicles were involved and that the brothers were alone in the car. The bodies were undergoing forensic analysis.

It was not immediately clear who was driving, but police are investigating the possibility that the crash occurred as a result of a flat tire while trying to pass another vehicle.

The car overturned, burned, and the result was fatal , said Ángel Blanco, an official with the Zamora government. Firefighters responded immediately after the accident, as the flames spread to nearby vegetation.

Portuguese media reported that Jota was traveling from Santander to take a ferry to England after being advised not to fly following a recent lung procedure. The funeral is expected to be held on Saturday in Porto.

Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton in 2020 and has won three trophies, including the Premier League title last season. He scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the Reds . His final goal for the club was the winner against Everton in the Merseyside derby in April, which took the team close to the league title.

Diogo was on summer vacation after winning the Nations League with Portugal. His last match was the final on June 8 against Spain in Munich.

An excellent friend

Mexican Raúl Jiménez, with whom he had a genuine connection at Wolverhampton, lamented Jota's relegation. "It's difficult to receive this kind of news and I still can't believe it. An excellent teammate, friend, and, above all, a great father. Thanks for everything, my friend. We will always remember you. A hug from heaven ," he wrote on Instagram with a photo of the two of them playing for Wolves.

“It doesn't make any sense. We were recently together with the Seleçao, you had just gotten married. I send my condolences to your family and your children and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them,” posted Cristiano Ronaldo, his former teammate on the Portuguese national team.

Liverpool said the club was devastated , while several Reds fans placed flowers and team scarves outside Anfield in tribute to Jota.

"What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and pain are so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words, but I know I don't," said Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro expressed his condolences to the unexpected and tragic deaths. Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proença said: "We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent an irreparable loss for Portuguese football, and we will all do our best to honor their legacy every day ."

Reactions came from all over the world, including athletes from other disciplines such as NBA star LeBron James and tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

Minute of silence

Meanwhile, at the Women's Euro Cup, a minute of silence was observed in memory of Jota and his brother André before the start of the match between Spain and Portugal.

The world champions swept their debut, thrashing the Portuguese side 5-0 thanks to goals from Esther González, who scored a brace, Vicky López, Alexia Putellas, and Cristina Martín Prieto. In the other match of the day, Italy defeated Belgium 1-0.

We've been talking about how motivated we are for this (Euro Cup) for a long time, and now we had to prove it. "There's reason to be satisfied ," Putellas told Spanish broadcaster TVE.

Spain didn't need Aitana Bonmatí. The two-time Ballon d'Or winner remained on the bench until she came on for López in the 81st minute. Bonmatí had been a doubt for the tournament after being hospitalized with viral meningitis last week.

Jennifer Hermoso, absent from the Reds' squad, spoke about the support she provides her teammates, as well as her desire to be on the field.

Honestly, I'd rather be there, stepping on the pitch, than sitting here. But, well, there are things, as I've already said, that I don't decide, that are not in my hands. On the one hand, I'm perfectly at ease here supporting my teammates, but there are things that are neither forgotten nor forgiven , she told RTVE.

But obviously I'm going all out for my teammates, for the national team, and of course I want everything to go well for them and for them to bring this cup back to Spain because we're the best in the world, and that's not going to change, at least not in the next few years , she added.

AP and Prensa Latina

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 4, 2025, p. a11

London. Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic secured his 99th Wimbledon victory yesterday, sweeping Britain's Daniel Evans 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the third round of the tournament and add another record to his name, having reached this stage 19 times. This marks him the man with the most appearances in the Open era.

It's not the most prestigious mark for Nole , whose 24 Grand Slam titles—including seven at Wimbledon—are the most ever achieved by a male player. But at least he could use it to joke around with his much younger rivals.

Nineteen times, that's a big statistic. It's probably almost as many years as Sinner and Alcaraz have in their lives , the Serb said.

On the turf of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the world number six displayed a solid and aggressive performance, showing no signs of physical discomfort and with his ambition intact. He dominated from the back of the court, took advantage of the home team's inactivity, and wrapped up the match.

"I don't fully reflect on everything I've been through. I'd like to, but I think that will come when I put the racket down and sip margaritas on the beach with Federer and Rafael Nadal ," he said.

Nole is trying to win his eighth Wimbledon title and equal Federer's record at the tournament to become the most successful Grand Slam player in history, both in men's and women's tournaments, as Australian Margaret Court also boasts 24 titles.

Evans, 35 years old and ranked 154th in the world, was barely able to trouble his opponent, despite the encouragement of the British crowd.

Everyone knew there would be a special atmosphere here, because it's never easy to face a British player in London. Dan is a very talented player, with great touch, and on grass he can cause problems if you're not at your best. Today I think I was there from the start , concluded Djokovic, who will face his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic.

World number one Jannik Sinner had no trouble beating Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 and will now face Spaniard Pedro Martínez.

Tricolors in action

In the Mexican tournament, Miguel Ángel Reyes Varela, paired with Sriram Balaji of India, defeated the American pair of Learner Tien and Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 6-4. Santiago González's fate was different, as he was eliminated along with Austin Krajicek by the pairing of Czech Adam Pavlasek and Polish Jan Zielinski.

In the women's draw, Renata Zarazúa and Giuliana Olmos fell 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 to the duo of China's Guo Hanyu and Russia's Aleksandra Panova.

▲ Sixteen-year-old debutant Gilberto Mora has been one of Mexico's standout performers so far in the CONCACAF tournament. Photo @gil_morita

Karla Torrijos

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 4, 2025, p. a12

The mix of youth and experience that Javier Vasco Aguirre has implemented in the Mexican national team has left a very good impression , considered former soccer player Fernando Quirarte, who also applauded the fact that the tricolor manager has given players like Gilberto Mora, Marcel Ruiz and Mateo Chávez the opportunity to participate in the recent 2025 Gold Cup matches.

Mora's case has attracted the most attention, given that last Saturday, in the match against Saudi Arabia, corresponding to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF tournament, he became the youngest debutant to play an official match at just 16 years and 257 days old.

In the semi-final match this Wednesday against Honduras, the Xolos de Tijuana midfielder contributed with the assist that allowed Raúl Jiménez to score the winning goal (1-0) to secure a ticket to next Sunday's final, when Mexico will play the zone classic against its bitter rival, the United States.

The tricolor team is in a process, Aguirre is trying out players he didn't know and who have made a good impression, these games will be very useful to see what several of them are made of and find the ideal elements for the next World Cup in 2026. As for the younger ones, he is seeing how they will respond to these tests, especially the one coming Sunday, which will be very important, and if he doesn't do it now, when? Afterwards he will no longer have the chance to observe them closely and under certain circumstances , mentioned the former national team player.

He also indicated that the criticism that both the Mexican national team and Aguirre have received for their performance in the Gold Cup, where they remain undefeated, "is normal. The same thing is always going to happen with a national team. Whoever is sitting there knows that there are millions of coaches outside the field. We all give our opinions and they are highly respected, but at the end of the day, the one who has the responsibility is the coach.

"He knows why he makes the changes, he chooses this or that player, it's a very tough position, but you get used to it. Javier is looking for a style of play, he's going to influence the team like only he knows how. He's been in the national team before, there are many people who don't like his style of play, others do, but as long as he's happy with his work and the players respond 100 percent to him, which is the most important thing, things will improve. We have to let him work ," said the also World Cup player in Mexico 1986.

Even duel

Regarding the upcoming match against the United States, where Mexico will seek to win the Gold Cup twice, the former defender estimated that "it will be very difficult, without a doubt, but the tricolor team has shown that it has the ability to defeat its biggest rival in the region."

It definitely won't be easy; it will be a very close match. Both teams have what it takes to compete, and that will make the game very close. Whoever has the better composure will win.

Finally, he indicated that for this duel, the national team must improve its team play, be more accurate up front, have more attacks, be more daring; in general, I think they have done well, hopefully they can achieve the second championship .

▲ The 34-year-old Welsh midfielder joins the Catalans to bring his experience on European pitches. Photo: Jorge Ángel Pablo García

Erendira Palma Hernández

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 4, 2025, p. a12

When Welshman Aaron Ramsey's career was facing uncertainty due to injuries, an offer arrived from Mexico, a territory he'd had little contact with, and now it's his chance to re-emerge. The midfielder, who played for Arsenal and Juventus, has become the newest addition to Pumas, a squad facing title pressure heading into the 2025 Liga MX Clausura tournament.

I'm very excited about this challenge. I've had a great experience in my career, and I understand the expectations this club generates. I want to contribute in my role and meet the objectives. I'm looking forward to this challenge , he said upon being officially presented as a member of the felines.

While Ramsey has been a Wales international while also winning cup and league titles with Arsenal and Juventus – where he played alongside international star Cristiano Ronaldo – the last few years of his career have been challenging. He has been nursing a hamstring injury since September 2024, keeping him out of action, his most recent match being in March.

The player's medical situation even led him to take over on an interim basis with his former team, Cardiff, which he managed in the last three matches as they faced relegation to England's Third Division.

Now 34 years old and with a history of ups and downs, Ramsey was endorsed by Efraín Juárez to join the Pumas squad. The head coach was not present at the midfielder's presentation, so team president Raúl Gonzalez and Eduardo Saracho, director of sporting strategy, were responsible for announcing the signing and clarifying the reasons for his hiring.

He began his career at 16, making his debut for Cardiff, played for Arsenal, and has had a distinguished career. Before he was 18, he was showing signs of this footballing prowess. "Today marks the beginning of a new era ," González said.

We were looking for a leap in hierarchy and quality; he was eager for a new challenge; Aaron and world-class players raise the bar. We're bringing in someone the young players can see themselves in , Saracho noted.

Despite arriving at Pumas at a stage where he's trying to regain his best form, Ramsey demonstrates that he's studied both his new team and Liga MX, while also remembering Carlos Vela, a Tricolor icon with whom he played at the beginning of his career at Arsenal.

"Carlos is a great player; he's done very well in MLS. There's no doubt about his skills and talent. He was a great teammate, and I enjoyed it."

I know the pressure this team entails, that the fans are enormous and proud of the club and expect a lot, I'm excited to play my part and seek triumphs , he stated while wearing the auriazul shirt.

▲ Mexican Alejandro Kirk of the Blue Jays connected a single in the seventh inning to support his team's victory. AP Photo

AFP

La Jornada Newspaper, Friday, July 4, 2025, p. a30

Los Angeles, In a fourth consecutive victory, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 8-5 yesterday and took over the lead in the American League East Division of the Major Leagues.

Veteran George Springer was again the leader in the closing series, which Toronto won 4-0.

The American punished the World Series runners-up with two home runs, three hits, and a total of four RBIs.

Springer began his recital with a two-run home run in the third inning that put the Blue Jays ahead 3-1.

Following Springer's blast, which drove in seven runs in Tuesday's win, Addison Barger hit another two-run homer in the fifth inning.

The Bronx Bombers , trying to save their honor in the playoffs, came close in the seventh inning with their stars Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger going through the register.

But Springer came back in the eighth inning to seal the home win with another 128-meter blast that drove in Nathan Lukes' run.

Judge had one hit and two walks but couldn't increase his home run tally to 31, which trails the Major League Baseball leader, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, by one.

New York's other team, the Mets, celebrated their 50th win of the year (with 38 losses) by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2.

Dominican Juan Soto, a star of the Queens team, contributed two hits and drove in one run, while his compatriot Starling Marte also had two hits and one run.

Elsewhere, Mexican Isaac Paredes had two hits and drove in a run in his team, the Houston Astros, 7-6, loss to the Colorado Rockies.

More MLB results: Miami 4-1 Minnesota, Washington 11-7 Detroit, Angels 5-1 Atlanta, Chicago Cubs 1-0 Cleveland, among others.