Revealed: The reason Diogo Jota was in his car on Thursday morning before the tragic incident

According to CNN Portugal, Diogo Jota was driving to the northern Spanish port city of Santander to board a ferry to the UK, after doctors advised him against flying due to a recent lung surgery.

The 28-year-old Liverpool attacker was traveling with his younger brother, 26-year-old Andre Silva, when their Lamborghini crashed and burst into flames in Zamora province around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Portuguese journalist Rui Laura reported that Jota intended to complete his trip to Liverpool by road after arriving in England by sea. Fellow journalist Victor Pinto noted that Jota sometimes opted not to fly due to ongoing, though not serious, lung discomfort.

Spanish investigators believe the accident may have been caused by a tyre blowout during an overtaking attempt, which forced the vehicle off the road and into flames.

The fatal crash happened just 11 days after Jota married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso. Liverpool FC is now mourning the heartbreaking loss of one of its beloved players.