In a sudden and dramatic development, authorities investigating the death of Portuguese football star Diogo Jota have officially shifted the direction of their inquiry — after discovering a personal diary hidden beneath the steering wheel column of Jota’s car.

Police sources confirmed late Tuesday that the notebook, small and leather-bound, was wedged in a narrow space just below the dashboard and went unnoticed during the initial vehicle inspection. It was only during a secondary forensic sweep, triggered by mounting inconsistencies in the case, that the diary was retrieved.

What investigators found inside has prompted what they describe as an “urgent redirection” of the case.

The final entry in the diary — scribbled hastily in pen — was written just one hour before the fatal accident. While officials have not released the exact contents of the message, insiders say it was emotional, cryptic, and potentially revealing.

“It wasn’t a typical journal entry,” a law enforcement official told Jornal de Lisboa. “It read like a warning… or a farewell. Either way, it changes how we view everything that happened next.”

The diary, now in police custody, is being analyzed for fingerprints, pressure points, and ink age to determine if any tampering occurred. Handwriting experts have already preliminarily confirmed the entry was written by Jota himself.

Family members have been notified, and according to a source close to them, the contents “shocked and devastated” those who read it.

This new revelation joins a growing list of mysterious findings in Jota’s case, including:

A sealed letter left with his football manager days before the crash

An audio file discovered on his iPad

An unsent email found in his draft folder.

A 3-word note hidden in his bag: “They know everything”

With investigators now re-examining the timeline and individuals connected to Jota’s final days, public pressure is mounting for full transparency.

As the case rapidly evolves from tragic accident to possible premeditated event, one chilling truth emerges: Diogo Jota may have been trying to leave behind clues — and someone may not have wanted them to be found.