“He told me the trip would take around eight hours”: Doctor who advised Diogo Jota not to fly shares final moments with the Liverpool forward

Multiple reliable sources have confirmed that Diogo Jota was driving through Spain en route to catch a ferry to Merseyside, having been advised by his physician, Dr. Miguel Goncalves, to avoid flying due to recent lung surgery.

Dr. Goncalves, who had been overseeing Jota’s recovery, stated that he was with the Liverpool forward just hours before the tragic journey began with his younger brother, Andre Silva.

“I said goodbye to Diogo and Andre around 8:30 p.m. on July 3,” Dr. Goncalves told Record in Portugal. “Andre was a supportive presence and chose to accompany Diogo so they could spend more time together. They planned to travel overnight when it would be cooler, with a stop planned at a hotel near Burgos to rest. The full drive to Santander was expected to take about eight hours, and from there they intended to take the ferry to England.”

According to Dr. Goncalves, the rest of the family would fly to England later, aiming to settle in over the weekend before Jota’s scheduled medical evaluation in Liverpool on Monday.

“I began treating him last Saturday and was with him daily until Wednesday,” Dr. Goncalves added. “We said our goodbyes over dinner. He had made an impressive recovery and was incredibly dedicated throughout. He followed my instructions to the letter, which clearly showed in how well he was doing.”

Jota had suffered a minor collapse in the base of his right lung, but physiotherapy after surgery had nearly resolved the issue. By the time they parted ways, Jota was reportedly pain-free and preparing to return to Liverpool.

“He was in great spirits—hopeful, confident, and looking forward to the new season,” Dr. Goncalves said. “He mentioned he would skip Liverpool’s pre-season tour of Japan to focus on his recovery, convinced he was on track for a strong campaign.”