Who is Rute Cardoso? Wife of Liverpool star who got married to Diogo 10 days before tragic car accident

Liverpool's Portuguese forward, identified as Diogo Jota, lost his life in a terrible car accident near Zamora, Spain, on Thursday morning. He is survived by his wife Rute Cardos with three children. The couple fell in love as teenagers, tied the knot this year on June 22, and celebrated the special day with their kids. Just before the tragic accident, Rute Cardoso had shared an emotional video of their wedding on social media.

Who is Rute Cardoso?

She is Diogo Jota's high school friend, whose decade-long romance ultimately turned into a life partner, tying the knot on June 22, 2025, in a secret wedding ceremony in Porto.

They began dating in 2013 while Jota was building his career. As he shifted from Paços de Ferreira to FC Porto, then onto Wolverhampton and Liverpool, Rute also joined him. During Jota's early career, while he was focusing on football, Rute Cardoso acted as the better half by keeping the home fires burning, raising kids and maintaining normalcy while her other half chases dreams on the field.

Their bond was built on a foundation of childhood memories and shared beginnings, rather than curated Instagram moments. Still, Rute would sometimes give fans a peek into their life, beach outings, airport selfies, or cheering during matchdays.

In August 2020, they announced they were expecting their first child, Dinis, who was born in February 2021. Their second child arrived in March 2023, followed by a third in late 2024 or early 2025.

Following their wedding, just ten days later on July 3, 2025, everything shattered when Diogo and his brother André were in a Lamborghini; the tire blew, causing the car to veer off the road and burst into flames. Soon after the incident, both of them lost their life immediately.

For Rute, now life has taken a sharp turn as she will be finding it tough to face the sudden change in her life with three children without their father.