Star footballers who died before their thirties
Tragic news
The football and sporting world has been rocked by the deeply tragic news of Diogo Jota's premature death at the age of 28.
When football mourned
With the news of the former Liverpool frontman's death, here are some examples of when the footballing world was devastated by a player dying so tragically young.
Crashing into a tree
On January 10, 2015, Malanda was sitting in the back of a Volkswagen Touareg when the car cleared the guardrail and crashed into a tree at high speed and in wet conditions. Malanda wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and he catapulted through the front of the car, dying instantly.
Emiliano Sala (28)
One of the most notable deaths of recent times was Emiliano Sala's death in a plane whilst he was on the way to complete a move to Cardiff City while they were still in the Premier League.
Plane crash
According to Punch, Sala's small plane crashed into the English Channel on his way back to Cardiff to begin his journey in the Premier League. His body was found three days into the search, and it was sent back to Argentina.
Antonio Puerta (22)
Antonio Puerta came through the Sevilla academy and joined the first team in 2004, immediately making an impact and becoming a fan favourite. Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Manchester United all put in bids for the flying wingback, per BetFree.
Multiple organ failures
In the opening game of the 2007/08 season, Puerta lost consciousness but regained consciousness and was substituted off the pitch. He collapsed again in the dressing room and was rushed to the hospital. However, he suffered multiple organ failures and irreversible brain damage.
Andres Escobar (27)
Andrés Escobar's tragic story has become incredibly famous. Escobar scored an own goal when he was playing for native Colombia at the 1994 World Cup against the USA. He returned to Colombia and decided to go to a nightclub with his friends.
Diogo Jota (28)
The most recent tragedy is the sorrowing news of Diogo Jota's untimely death at 28. The Liverpool attacker was returning to Zamora with his brother when their car veered off the highway and burst into flames, per the Daily Mail.
Tributes have poured in
Jota had been married for less than two weeks before the accident and left behind three children. Tributes have poured in across the football and sporting world, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James expressing their condolences.
Matija Sarkic (26)
Matija Sarkic has played all over the EFL and signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 before successful loan spells at Shrewsbury, Birmingham, and Stoke. He later became the first choice at Millwall, but was unable to establish himself at the club.
