Lute Cardoso has opened up about the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a new book featuring contributions from Arne Slott, Jurgen Klopp and other famous footballers.
Diogo Jota and Rute Cardoso married in June last year (Image: Instagram/rutecfcardoso14)
The widow of tragic Diogo Jota is set to reveal that the former Liverpool and Wolves star sent her a message asking to send her a video of their wedding if she had a chance to pull over, not knowing he had been involved in an accident.
In a book to be published next week, Lute Cardoso will reportedly tearfully confess the last words she said to her new husband, the father of her three, before he learned of the horrific accident in his £180,000 Lamborghini Huracan that killed him along with his brother Andre Silva.
And she will also insist that the 28-year-old, who died in an early-morning crash on a Spanish motorway in a rented sports car on July 3 last year while driving to Santander to catch a ferry to the UK, was never the kind of athlete to be obsessed with flash motors or expensive watches.
Thirteen years after they started dating, childhood sweethearts Diogo and Lute wed in a church in Porto on June 22 last year, just 11 days before the A-52 crashed in Cernadilla, near Zamora in northwestern Spain, close to the border with Portugal. The official biography, released in Portugal on April 9 and written by former soccer player Jose Manuel Delgado, is called “Nunca Mais e Muito Tempo”, which translates into English as “Never Again Is a Long Time”.
read more: Former Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara breaks down in tears during tribute to Diogo Jotaread more: Diogo Jota’s widow touched by tribute to Liverpool ahead of difficult new milestone
Speaking about the biography on Portuguese television, presenter Isabel Figueira said: “What struck me most when I read the excerpt from the book is that Lute narrates the last message that Diogo never receives. She says that she has just received the wedding video and says, “Love, stop and call me, because here is something I want to show you,” and that was this video.”
Mr Lute, who has now returned to Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal with his wife’s children, is also understood to have told José Manuel how he became worried when Mr Diogo was unresponsive and began calling the hotel near the scene of the accident where he had planned to stay that night, then the hospital, the police and finally the relatives of the truck driver, who were acquainted with a Spanish traffic police officer.
In another excerpt from the book featured in Portuguese magazine Flash, she says:
Lute Cardoso wanted to send Diogo Jota a wedding video (Image: Instagram/@diogoj_18)
“The car we had was good enough for him. He probably wasn’t that into cars, so he took the opportunity to get some experience driving a Ferrari. In fact, he returned the Ferrari the morning of the wedding. After that, he started renting Lamborghinis.”
As well as the footballer’s parents and other family members, Liverpool manager Arne Slott, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Portugal national team manager Roberto Martinez and Manchester City stars Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva have also contributed to the new official biography.
Publisher Cultura Editors, part of Lisbon-based parent company Grupo Infinito Particular, described the film in an online preview as “a deeply emotional and respectful work that pays homage to the life and achievements of Diogo Jota, not just as an elite player but as a man.”
“More than just a sports biography, this book reveals the human journey of a man who defined a generation. From his origins in Gondemar to his international fame, to his modest way of living through family life, love, fatherhood and success, it builds an intimate, rigorous and sensitive portrait.”
the couple had three children
“Based on the testimonies of around 90 people, including the names of Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, Virgil van Dijk and coaches such as Jurgen Klopp and Fernando Santos, this story takes on a collective dimension that reflects the human and professional impact of Diogo Jota on and off the field.
“This book also deals calmly and respectfully with the tragic accident that claimed the lives of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, a moment that deeply shocked Portugal and international football. Without resorting to sensationalism, this book seeks to preserve the dignity of the memory and give meaning to the loss.”
“With detailed documentation, complete biographical statistics, and a series of exclusive photos provided by their families, this book is a timeless testament to talent, character, and humanity. It’s a book that will help you not just remember, but understand why some absences persist. It will be in bookstores nationwide on April 9th.”
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