مدير عام كرة القدم
- Liverpool forward passed away on July 3
- Tributes flooded in from around the world
- Ronaldo among those to pay his respects
Liverpool forward Jota tragically lost his life alongside brother Andre Silva in a road traffic accident on July 3. Just days after marrying childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old was involved in a fatal crash when travelling through northern Spain to a ferry port.
Domestic and international team-mates attended an emotional service in his hometown of Gondomar – including Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Virgil van Dijk – but Ronaldo opted to stay away as he feared his presence would overshadow proceedings.
Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation, has said of the criticism that Ronaldo attracted: “It’s an immense injustice to say that Cristiano, in some way, played a more detached role in this. From the very beginning, the captain was with us and was one of the people who most closely connected with the national team family, with Jota’s own blood family.
“And I say it again: what they said about our captain is unfair. Cristiano Ronaldo, he was one of the people who felt it the most, especially because he was a true team-mate of Jota. His physical absence means nothing more than that, because he never abandoned this family.”
Ronaldo and Jota made 32 international appearances together, winning the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. CR7 posted on social media after learning that a close friend had passed: “It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had gotten married.
“To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”
Ronaldo’s sister, Katia, said of the decision not to travel to Jota’s funeral: “When my father died, in addition to the pain of loss, we had to deal with a flood of cameras and curious onlookers at the cemetery and everywhere we went.
“And attention was not what it is today in terms of access… At no time were we (the children) able to leave the chapel; it was only possible at the time of the burial, such was the commotion.
“At the funeral, there were presidents, coaches of the national team at the time, such as Luís Filipe Scolari, etc. I don’t remember seeing any of them. And they certainly greeted me. The pain blinded me.
“About pain/family and real support… You will never know what it means until you go through it. If someone sends me a message criticising anything my brother does, I will block it (completely ignore it), that is, they will only do it once.
“It’s getting tiring. The fanaticism. The criticism for nothing, I repeat nothing… Sick society… We all have families.
“It is absurdly shameful to watch TV channels/commentators/social networks emphasising an absence (wise) rather than respectfully honouring the pain of a mutilated family destroyed by the loss of two brothers. I am even ashamed to watch. Regrettable.
“And so the world goes… Society and opinion. Today they are worthless. They themselves have become bottomless pits. I feel sorry… And war is also like that. Believe me. Human evil is also a war. And every day we have to fight against it. And so it goes.”
Liverpool have retired Jota’s No.20 shirt as a mark of respect, with tributes having been paid to the الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز title-winning Portugal international by millions of people across the world.
