Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has offered a heartfelt promise to support the family of Diogo Jota after the Portuguese star and his brother, André Silva, were tragically killed in a car accident.

The devastating incident occurred on the A52 motorway in Sanabria, near the Spanish-Portuguese border. Reports indicate that the Lamborghini the brothers were travelling in suffered a tyre blowout and subsequently veered off the road. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 1am, but both men sadly lost their lives.

The football world has since been united in mourning the untimely deaths of the talented forward and his younger brother.

Posting on Instagram on Thursday evening, Van Dijk shared a deeply emotional tribute to his teammate and friend. The Dutch defender wrote:

“Man, I can't believe it, I don't want to believe it. Absolutely devastated and in total disbelief. What a human being, what a player – but most importantly, what an unbelievable family man.

“You meant so much to all of us and you always will! For your family to lose two sons, a husband and a father is just unimaginable. So cruel and unfair. My heart is breaking for all of your beautiful family, for Rute and for your kids.

“I promise you that in these difficult times and beyond we will always be there for your family. A champion forever, number 20 forever.

“It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it. We will miss you beyond words and never forget you.”

Liverpool Manager Arne Slot: “A Person and Player We Loved Dearly”

Earlier in the day, Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot also spoke about the tragedy, expressing his deep sorrow in a statement on the club’s official website.

“What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words but I know I do not,” he began.

“All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about.

“My first thoughts are not those of a football manager. They are of a father, a son, a brother and an uncle, and they belong to the family of Diogo and André Silva who have experienced such an unimaginable loss.”

Slot continued with a message of solidarity and compassion:

“My message to them is very clear – you will never walk alone. The players, the staff, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club are all with you, and from what I have seen today, the same can be said of the wider family of football.

“This is not solely a response to tragedy. It is also a reaction to the goodness of the people involved and the respect that so many have for the boys as individuals and for the family as a whole.”

Slot went on to describe the impact Jota had on the club and the people around him:

“For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a teammate, a colleague, a workmate – and in all of those roles, he was very special.

“I could say so much about what he brought to our team, but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it: hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals – the essence of what a Liverpool player should be.

“There were also the parts that not everyone got to see. The person who never sought popularity but found it anyway. Not a friend to just two people, a friend to everyone. Someone who made others feel good about themselves just by being with them. A person who cared deeply for his family.”

Slot concluded his tribute by recalling his final conversation with the Portuguese international:

“The last time we spoke, I congratulated Diogo on winning the Nations League and wished him luck for his forthcoming wedding. In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family – which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this.”