Diogo Jota's widow posts heartbreaking message in first words since footballers death

The Liverpool star married his childhood sweetheart just weeks before he and brother Andre died in a car crash in Spain

Rute Cardoso, the widow of Liverpool FC star Diogo Jota, has taken to social media for the first time since the tragic death of the footballer. Jota had been driving his Lamborghini with his brother Andre Silva when the car crashed in Zamora, Spain.

The Portuguese player married his childhood sweetheart in a touching ceremony in the Portuguese city of Porto. Rute Cardoso had been with Jota since 2013, the couple having three children together, two boys and a girl.

Now, a month after the marriage ceremony, Cardoso has shared a touching image on Instagram of the couple holding hands at their wedding, which occurred just two weeks before Jota, 28, and his brother lost their lives in a car crash.

"1 month of our 'until death do us part'," Cardoso wrote as the caption. "Forever, your little white girl."

The family and friends of the brothers gathered alongside Liverpool players, both past and present, as well as members of Jota's national team, for their funeral in Portugal. In honour of Jota, the Premier League champions have retired the No. 20 shirt.

"It was the number he wore with pride and distinction, leading us to countless victories in the process – and Diogo Jota will forever be Liverpool Football Club's number 20," the club said in a statement.

"After consultation with his wife, Rute, and family, the club can announce the squad number will be retired in honour and memory of Diogo across all levels, including LFC Women and Academy.

"The move is recognition of not only the immeasurable contribution our lad from Portugal made to the Reds' on-pitch successes over the last five years, but also the profound personal impact he had on his teammates, colleagues and supporters and the everlasting connections he built with them."

Spanish authorities are still investigating the exact circumstances of the crash, but they say that 'all the evidence so far' shows that Jota was driving the Lamborghini at the time. Authorities also believe that evidence points towards the vehicle 'significantly exceeding the speed limit for the highway' when the crash took place.

Spanish police (Guardia Civil) released a statement on the day of the incident: "The information we have so far is that the car, which was a Lamborghini, was in a road traffic accident and left the road due to a tyre blowout while overtaking.

"It was in the early hours, 00:30 local time (23:30 BST), in the municipality of Cernadilla in the province of Zamora.

"The car caught on fire and the two occupants were killed."