The widow of Liverpool and Portugal footballer Diogo Jota is expected to inherit up to £35 million, securing the future of their three young children after the player’s tragic death last week in a car crash in Spain.
Jota, 28, and his younger brother André, 25, died while travelling from Porto to Santander, where the footballer was due to take a ferry to England. The accident occurred in Zamora province, shocking the global football community and leaving his wife Rute and their children, Dinis (4), Duarte (2), and baby Mafalda (8 months), devastated.
Since joining the Premier League in 2018, Jota had amassed significant wealth through football, endorsements, and business ventures. Starting with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he earned £3.95 million over two years, Jota later moved to Liverpool in 2020. His initial four-year deal earned him £8.63 million, which was followed by a lucrative five-year extension in 2022 worth £140,000 per week, totalling £21.8 million before his death.
Jota was expected to receive an additional £14.5 million over the remaining two years of his contract, an amount that Portuguese media suggest Liverpool may still honour, though it remains unconfirmed. Combined with sponsorship deals with Nike and EA Sports (worth an estimated £3.3 million annually) and earnings from his Esports team, Luna Galaxy, his total estate is projected at approximately £34.4 million.
Beyond his football earnings, Jota demonstrated business acumen. He launched Minute J Ltd in 2023 to manage his image rights, a common practice among elite players to capitalize on their brand. The company recorded £186,754 in its first year but had debts totalling £49,786, largely in tax liabilities.
The family resides in a lavish £2.1 million five-bedroom mansion in Blundellsands, north Liverpool, purchased in 2022. The home features an indoor pool, jacuzzi, steam room, cinema, games room, and custom kitchen, underscoring the luxury lifestyle Jota had built. He also reportedly owned a £1 million luxury car collection, including a Ferrari 488, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Range Rover Sport, and a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG.
Jota’s sudden death came just 13 days after he married Rute, his childhood sweetheart, in a wedding he described as “a dream come true.” The same friends and family who had celebrated their union were forced to return to mourn the loss of both Jota and his brother.
The funeral, held at the 17th-century Igreja Matriz church in Portugal, was attended by a host of football stars and mourners from across the globe. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and teammate Andrew Robertson carried red wreaths shaped like football shirts bearing Jota’s No. 20 and André’s No. 30. Former Liverpool players Jordan Henderson and James Milner were also present, alongside representatives from Wolves, including Rui Patricio and Joao Moutinho.
During the emotional service, the Bishop of Porto, D. Manuel Linda, addressed the couple’s young children: “You are suffering immensely or perhaps not because you do not realise it… When there are two urns, there are no words.”
Jota and his brother were laid to rest in a tranquil cemetery surrounded by olive trees, as violins played and mourners applauded in a final farewell.
Described by The Richest as having “left behind a financial legacy few soccer players achieve so young,” Jota not only made his mark on the pitch with 65 goals in 182 games for Liverpool, but also off it, crafting a blueprint for how modern athletes can secure generational wealth and purpose beyond football.
His memory, talent, and legacy now live on through his family, his fans, and the game he loved.
Written By Ian Maleve
