Diogo Jota’s Final Hours: The Mysterious €47,000, Encrypted Message, and Hidden USB

On July 2, 2025, Diogo Jota, the celebrated Liverpool and Portugal forward, was captured on CCTV withdrawing €47,000 in cash from a Porto bank. Footage shows him placing a cloth-wrapped object into the glove compartment of his acid green Lamborghini Huracan. Five minutes before his phone went offline, Jota sent a 27-second encrypted audio message to an unknown woman. After his tragic death alongside his brother André Silva in a car crash on July 3, 2025, a new discovery emerged: Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, found a small black USB stick hidden in the heel of his favorite sneakers, containing a single password-protected folder titled “If You Find This.” These enigmatic clues—the cash, the message, and the USB—have deepened the mystery surrounding Jota’s final hours. This article explores the events, the discoveries, and the unanswered questions that linger.

A Rising Star’s Untimely End

Diogo Jota, born in Porto in 1996, was a football icon known for his skill and charisma. Rising from Paços de Ferreira to Atletico Madrid, Porto, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, he joined Liverpool FC in 2020 for £41 million. There, he scored 65 goals in 182 appearances, helping secure the Premier League, FA Cup, and two EFL Cups. Jota earned 49 caps for Portugal, contributing to UEFA Nations League titles in 2019 and 2025. His brother André Silva, 25, played for Penafiel in Portugal’s second division. On July 3, 2025, the brothers died when their Lamborghini veered off the A-52 motorway in Zamora, Spain, and ignited, just 11 days after Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso. Tributes from Cristiano Ronaldo, Jürgen Klopp, and Prince William followed, reflecting the global impact of the loss.

The €47,000 Withdrawal: A Curious Detail

Jota’s €47,000 cash withdrawal on July 2, 2025, remains a focal point. CCTV footage shows him at a Porto bank, completing the transaction and placing a cloth-wrapped object—possibly the cash—into his Lamborghini’s glove compartment. The specific amount has sparked speculation about its purpose: a purchase, a debt, or something else? Jota and André were driving to Santander for a ferry to the UK, advised against flying due to Jota’s recent lung surgery. The cash’s role in their journey is unclear, adding to the intrigue.

The Encrypted Audio Message: An Unknown Recipient

Five minutes before Jota’s phone went offline, likely at the crash, he sent a 27-second encrypted audio message to a woman unknown to his family, teammates, or wife. The recipient’s identity remains undisclosed, and the file’s encryption has blocked access, fueling speculation. Was it a personal message, a warning, or something routine? The woman’s lack of connection to Jota’s circle has prompted theories on platforms like X, from a secret contact to a possible error, but no verified details exist. The phone, likely destroyed in the crash, offers little hope of recovering the file without a decryption key.

The Hidden USB: A Cryptic Discovery

The latest revelation came when Rute Cardoso, Jota’s widow, discovered a small black USB stick hidden in the heel of his favorite sneakers. The USB contained a single password-protected folder titled “If You Find This,” a name that suggests Jota anticipated it might be found posthumously. The folder’s contents remain inaccessible, and authorities have not disclosed attempts to crack the password. This discovery, reported by Portuguese media, has intensified speculation. Could the folder relate to the €47,000 or the audio message? Was it a safeguard, a legacy, or something more personal? The USB’s concealment in such an unusual location suggests Jota took deliberate steps to hide it, deepening the mystery.

Conflicting Accounts of the Crash

The crash’s cause is under investigation, with conflicting narratives. The Guardia Civil in Zamora suggested Jota was driving, possibly speeding, based on 100-meter tyre marks, with a blowout causing the Lamborghini to roll and ignite. However, lorry drivers José Aleixo Duarte and José Azevedo claimed the car moved at a “moderate speed” and blamed the A-52’s poor condition—dark, poorly maintained, and accident-prone. Azevedo, who filmed the wreckage, said rescue efforts failed. The motorway’s history of 15,000 speeding fines in 2020 has drawn scrutiny, with expert Javier Lopez Delgado citing speed and road faults as factors. The investigation, pending in Puebla de Sanabria, may resolve these discrepancies.

The Cloth-Wrapped Object: What Was It?

The cloth-wrapped object Jota placed in the glove compartment remains unidentified. While some assume it was the €47,000, the footage is inconclusive, and the car’s destruction hinders recovery. Theories range from a planned transaction in Santander to unfounded claims of illicit activity. Jota’s £140,000 weekly earnings and stable family life—married to Rute, with three children (Dinis, Duarte, and an infant daughter)—make the withdrawal’s purpose puzzling.

Tributes and Legacy

The football world mourns Jota and André. Liverpool FC expressed devastation, with fans leaving tributes at Anfield, including a placard reading “Diogo lives forever.” A minute’s silence marked the UEFA Women’s Euros, with condolences from LeBron James and Portugal’s Prime Minister Luis Montenegro. Liverpool may retire Jota’s number 20 shirt. The brothers’ funeral in Gondomar on July 5, 2025, drew hundreds, including Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson. Conor Coady called Jota “an amazing husband, father, and footballer,” while Arne Slot vowed to honor his legacy.

Unanswered Questions

The €47,000, the encrypted audio message, and the hidden USB form a web of mysteries. Was the cash linked to the journey, the unknown woman, or the USB’s contents? What did the 27-second message say, and why was it encrypted? What secrets lie in the “If You Find This” folder? Misinformation, including debunked crash videos, has spread online, as noted by Full Fact. As investigations continue, Jota’s death, alongside André’s, remains a profound loss. His legacy as a player, husband, father, and brother endures, cherished by those he inspired.