In a heart-wrenching revelation, Dr. Miguel Goncalves, the respiratory physiotherapist who treated Liverpool soccer star Diogo Jota, has broken his silence, admitting he feels partly responsible for the tragic deaths of Jota and his brother André Silva. The siblings perished in a car crash on July 3, 2025, on Spain’s A-52 motorway while traveling from Porto to Santander to catch a ferry to the UK. Speaking to Portuguese outlet Record, a tearful Goncalves confessed, “If I hadn’t given that advice… maybe things would’ve ended differently,” leaving the football world reeling.

Jota, 28, had undergone minor lung surgery for a partially collapsed lung, stemming from a clash with Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo in October 2024, per BBC Sport. Goncalves advised against flying due to health risks, prompting Jota and André, 26, to drive to Santander for a ferry to Liverpool for pre-season training. The tragic crash occurred when their Lamborghini suffered a tire blowout near Zamora, veering off the road and bursting into flames, per LBC. Both brothers died at the scene, just 11 days after Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso.

Goncalves, who met Jota hours before the crash, described him as “excited and confident” about his recovery, per Sports Mole. “I said goodbye to him and André at 8:30 p.m. They planned to stop in Burgos to rest,” he said, refuting rumors of partying. His guilt stems from the medical advice that led to the fateful journey, though Spanish authorities have not linked it to the crash’s cause, per Metro. Fans on X expressed sympathy, with one writing, “Heartbreaking for the doctor—he was just doing his job.”

The tragedy has compounded the grief of Cardoso, Jota’s widow, who recently revealed finding a chilling note from Jota under their nursery floorboards, per The Sun. Liverpool FC, where Jota scored 65 goals in 182 appearances, plans a tribute during their August 17 match, per Sky Sports. As Goncalves grapples with his remorse, the football community mourns, reflecting on a devastating loss driven by a tragic twist of fate.