Diogo Jota tragically passed away on Thursday, but there were fears his soccer career would be cut short before it had even begun when a heart issue was detected

Diogo Jota discovered an undiagnosed condition during a medical (Image: Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

Diogo Jota was once diagnosed with a heart condition that nearly ended his playing days.

The Liverpool forward, whose life tragically came to an end in a car accident along with his brother Andre Silva on Thursday, won numerous major trophies after joining the Reds from Wolves in 2020.

The 28-year-old played a pivotal role in Arne Slot’s team securing the Premier League title last season, making 26 appearances. During his time at Liverpool, he scored an impressive 65 goals in 182 appearances and added both the FA Cup and League Cup to his collection of honours.

Internationally, Jota celebrated winning the Nations League with Portugal for the second time this past June. However, there were grave concerns over his future in professional soccer when a heart condition came to light during his medical at Pacos de Ferreira back in 2013.

The then-teenager, who was 17 years old at the time, missed the entire pre-season setup, only returning to play after being cleared by an electro-physical study. His parents were left feeling extremely anxious over the possibility of Jota having to give up his beloved sport.

Jota began his career with Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira (Image: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

However, Gilberto Andrade, the youth team coordinator for Pacos de Ferreira, remembered how Jota kept his composure and refused to shed tears while awaiting the outcome.

“We never made a big deal of it – these situations happen very often and are usually clarified right after,” Andrade told the Telegraph in 2020. “He always remained calm.”

Despite his family’s worries about Jota’s future, the Liverpool star always held firm in his belief that a resolution would be found. His faith was rewarded when he signed with Atletico Madrid in 2016, before eventually making his way to England with Wolves.

However, Jota hadn’t forgotten the uncertainty of those days when his career hung in the balance. Speaking to FourFourTwo Magazine in 2021, he said: “That was a difficult moment. It had the sort of impact that made me ask, ‘Will I be able to continue playing?’

“But I always maintain a positive mindset in such situations, trusting that everything will turn out fine. I knew it could mean the end of my football career, but I never for a moment believed that would happen.

Jota won many trophies with Liverpool (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
“In Portugal, we have a saying, ‘You shouldn’t put the cart before the horse’ – don’t jump to conclusions before you know the facts. The whole incident occurred on my first day at work, during fitness tests.

“It was quite a shock as there was an anomaly in my electrocardiogram. I had to undergo an electrophysiological study. Only after this was I medically cleared to continue playing. As a result, I missed part of pre-season and my senior debut was postponed.”

Tragically, the Liverpool striker and his brother Andre were killed in a car crash in Zamora, Spain on Thursday. A statement from the Guardia Civil read: “The information we have so far is that the car, which was a Lamborghini, was involved in a traffic accident and left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking.”

Jota had only just married his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, on June 22, with whom he shared three children with. The official Liverpool club statement read: “Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.

“The club have been informed the 28-year-old has passed away following a road traffic accident in Spain along with his brother, Andre. Liverpool FC will be making no further comment at this time and request the privacy of Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff is respected as they try to come to terms with an unimaginable loss. We will continue to provide them with our full support.”