Truck driver who tried to save Jota insists footballer wasn’t speeding before fatal crash

A Portuguese truck driver who witnessed the fiery crash that killed Diogo Jota and his brother has challenged the official police report, claiming the Liverpool star was not speeding at the time of the accident.

The football world was left stunned last Thursday, when Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, died after their lime green £185,000 Lamborghini burst into flames on the A-52 motorway in Zamora, Spain. Spanish police, citing early findings, suggested the vehicle was travelling above the 120km/h (74mph) speed limit—possibly contributing to the crash.

But Jose Azevedo, a lorry driver who filmed the blaze moments after it happened, has insisted Jota drove past him “completely calmly” and “wasn’t speeding”. Azevedo claimed he stopped his truck and rushed to help, but was helpless in the face of the raging inferno.

“I filmed it, stopped, grabbed the fire extinguisher and tried to help,” he said in a video uploaded online. “I tried to help, but due to the impact of the accident, there was nothing I could do. Absolutely nothing.”

The crash, reportedly caused by a suspected tyre blowout, ended in tragedy as the luxury vehicle was engulfed in flames. Both brothers died at the scene, and the news has sent shockwaves through the football community.

“They passed me completely calmly and were not speeding,” Azevedo continued. “You have my word they weren’t speeding. They were completely relaxed. I drive this road Monday through Saturday and I know it’s a terrible place. It’s a dark road. I could see the make and colour of the car.”

Another driver, identified locally as Jose Alex Duarte, told Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha that the Lamborghini overtook him shortly before the crash, but again insisted it was moving at a “moderate speed”.

Jota, 28, had returned to Spain for a family visit. While reports remain speculative, tyre malfunction is being examined as a primary cause. The Guardia Civil stated that the final accident report is still being compiled, and investigators have not yet made a definitive conclusion on speed or mechanical failure.

Azevedo, visibly shaken in his video, concluded with a heartfelt message: “I offer my sincere condolences. I have a clear conscience. I know what I saw. Unfortunately, that’s how it ended. I stopped filming, tried to help, but unfortunately, there was nothing I could do.”

The footage taken by Azevedo reportedly shows the Lamborghini already engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke pouring into the sky. Emergency responders arrived soon after, but it was too late to save the brothers.

Tributes have poured in for Jota from fans, teammates, and officials across the world. Liverpool FC, where he had become a fan favourite since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, described him as “a fierce competitor, a generous spirit, and a beloved member of the squad.”

As authorities continue piecing together the events of that night, conflicting accounts raise difficult questions about the true cause of the crash—and whether speed, road design, or mechanical failure played the greater role.