Cristiano Ronaldo pens heartfelt Diogo Jota tribute: 'It doesn't make sense'
Tributes have been pouring in for the Liverpool star from all over, from LeBron James to Jota's fellow Portugal teammate, the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.
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'It doesn't make sense,' he wrote in a post translated from Portuguese. "Just now we were together in the national team, and now you've gotten married. To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish you all the strength in the world. I know you'll always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We'll all miss you."
He's referring to them playing together for Portugal when the team beat Spain to win a second UEFA Nations League championship. Of course it must not feel real or to make any sense. It's a tragedy.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Cristiano Ronaldo pens Diogo Jota tribute after car crash
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New York Times
25 minutes ago
- New York Times
‘Much more than football' – Portugal pays respect to Diogo Jota at Euro 2025
An hour before kick-off for Portugal's UEFA Women's Euro 2025 group stage match against Spain and eyes begin to gravitate towards Wankdorf Stadium's west stand towards a large piece of cardboard fastened to the bottom of the upper stand. 'You took the name of Portugal beyond borders,' it reads in earnestly sprawled black marker ink. 'Now it's our turn to raise your name.' Advertisement The placard's unfurling was silent yet arresting, much like the news it was in response too: Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva's, 26, tragic passing in a car crash in the early hours of Thursday morning in Spain. In the fading afternoon heat, a small group of Portugal fans walked to Bern's northern flank in mini-pilgrimage, hoisting placards as tribute to Jota and Silva, chanting their names into the sky. If the day was not poignant enough, the evening's match-up against Spain added further texture, with the Porto-born forward's last career game coming against Spain in the men's Nations League final earlier this summer. As kick-off beckoned, more placards appeared, attempting to voice the parts of loss and love that feel inexpressible in these moments. The teams emerged from the tunnel wearing black armbands. The minute's silence was adhered to with haunting reverence, then broken into loaded, rapturous applause. Behind Ines Pereira's goal, Portugal fans held aloft a series of cards spelling out the message: 'Descansa Em Paz Diogo Jota' (rest in peace Diogo Jota), before chanting his name once again. The effect was the Wankdorf transformed momentarily into a place of communion. In these moments of subtraction, there is desire to see life give back. But 90 seconds later, Spain's Esther Gonzalez flitted in behind Portugal's high defensive line, taking down a raking pass from left-back Olga Carmona with her shoulder before bundling the ball beyond Pereira. Five minutes later, 19-year-old Vicky Lopez poked home a low-driven cross from Mariona Caldentey. Portugal were always going to struggle, as most pre-tournament predictions forecasted. The reigning world champions had inflicted a 7-1 defeat to Portugal in April. Two months later, Spain played with the same sublime majesty, tangling Portugal's defence into desperate ribbons and their attack into a non-event. Advertisement By half-time, the scoreline read 4-0, goals from Alexia Putellas and Gonzalez arriving in the final seconds of the first-half. Meanwhile, Portugal failed to register a single shot or corner, the number of touches in Spain's box a total of two, the number of passes completed in Spain's half totalling eight. By full-time, Portugal managed two shots at goal, none on target. 'This is life,' was the assessment of one Portugal fan before kick-off following the news of Jota and Silva's passing. The appraisal was not crude, but rather honest, profound even. The passing of those young and outward facing has a habit of wreaking a pausing effect on life as the rest of us reflect on our own mortality. But then a game of football must be played, a goal scored, then one, two, three, four more, life carrying on amid death. 'Today is a really sad day because two of us lost our lives, so young,' said Portugal head coach Francisco Neto after his side's 5-0 defeat. 'This is not a good day. If we had the possibility to change everything we would.' There is pride to be taken here for Portugal, to not only show up but keep running, chasing, scrapping against the tournament favourites who resisted any impulse to let up due to circumstances. So too is pride owed to Portugal's fans, who continued to chant throughout it all, red and green flags aloft, the beat of a lone drum imbuing the 29,000 plus in attendance with an unceasing rhythm as those in Portugal colours hoped for something bordering on miraculous from this match, this life. With 75 minutes gone, it looked like Portugal, whose second-half display was marginally more competitive, might get a sliver of one, only for Ana Capeta to sky her shot from inside the box. A handful more chances came, none taken. And still Wankdorf Stadium heaved with Portuguese song, as if any other noise outside of a goal celebration might border on sacrilege. Advertisement Afternoon sun escaped into black night and Cristina Martín-Prieto made it 5-0 in injury time, but one Portuguese fan's placard caught the eye. 'Muito mais que futebol' it read — 'much more than football'. And as Portugal players broke from their post-match huddle to applaud the travelling supporters, who in turn presented them with a large black banner bearing Jota's name, its message felt all the more prescient for a nation's whose football teams run through it like a main artery. When asked about Jota in his post-match press conference, Neto took a moment to compose himself. His path first crossed Jota's in the national team's under-19s. From there, their paths continued to intersect, Jota following the women's national team with an ardent zeal. 'He always knew the results, followed the players,' Neto said. 'This is the culture we have in Portugal, what we're building inside our federation and our country.' Top photo: Manuel Winterberger/Eurasia
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Diogo Jota memorial event to be held on Friday morning
Mourners are set to gather to honour Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, a local parish priest has said. The 28-year-old father of three, who had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days ago, died in a car crash in Spain alongside his brother Andre Silva after a Lamborghini they were travelling in veered off the road and burst into flames following a suspected tyre blowout. The pair were found dead following the crash on the A-52 in Palacios de Sanabria near the city of Zamora at 12.40am on Thursday. Jose Manuel Macedo, parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, told the PA news agency in a translated message that a wake for the brothers will take place at 8am at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao before their funeral at the Igreja Matriz on Saturday at 10am. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said the 'sense of shock is absolute' for the club. 'Diogo was not just our player,' he said. 'He was a loved one to all of us. READ MORE: Tesco introduces new 'VAR-style' technology at self-service checkouts READ MORE: Spain issues warning for Brits using cash as Euro note is 'no longer accepted' 'I could say so much about what he brought to our team but the truth is everyone who watched Diogo play could see it. Hard work, desire, commitment, great quality, goals. The essence of what a Liverpool player should be.' Slot said the player 'never sought popularity' but gained it anyway and was a friend to everyone, able to make others feel good about themselves 'just by being with them'. He said the last time they spoke he wished Jota luck for his upcoming wedding. 'In many ways, it was a dream summer for Diogo and his family, which makes it all the more heartbreaking that it should end like this,' Slot added. He recalled learning, when he first came to the club, of the song Liverpool fans sang for Jota and said he knew 'straight away' that meant the player must have 'special qualities'. 'When the time is right, we will celebrate Diogo Jota, we will remember his goals and we will sing his song,' Slot said. 'For the time being, we will remember him as a unique human being and mourn his loss. He will never be forgotten.' The club has opened physical and digital books of condolence in the wake of the deaths, and supporters and members of the public can go to the Anfield Road Stand reception area over the coming days to sign a message. The online book can be found at Flags have been lowered to half-mast at the stadium and all club stores, museums and tours have been closed until Monday, with staff offered wellbeing support. The Portuguese Football Federation also said it was 'devastated' to learn of the deaths, adding: 'Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football.' Police said they were investigating the possibility that the Lamborghini left the road because of a tyre blowout while overtaking, and a source from the government sub-delegation in Zamora confirmed 'a possible speeding incident' was being looked at. No other vehicles are said to have been involved in the incident. Pictures of the aftermath of the crash showed debris scattered along the side of the road including what appeared to be charred parts of the vehicle. Liverpool fans started leaving tributes outside Anfield on Thursday morning, with flowers being laid with messages including 'Thanks for everything, Diogo'. Jota was part of Liverpool's Premier League-winning side in the 2024/25 campaign, scoring six goals in 26 appearances. He joined the Merseyside club from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, winning three major trophies. Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo said he wishes Jota's family 'all the strength in the world' following the Liverpool forward's death. A translated version of his message on Instagram said: 'Doesn't make any sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you were married. To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. 'I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.' The Prince of Wales, patron of the FA, said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of Jota's death, adding: 'Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who knew him.' Jota and his wife got together in 2013, it has been reported, and have three children together – two sons and a daughter who was born in November. He frequently shared pictures of himself and his family on his Instagram account, while his wife has posted images of their holidays in Dubai and Lapland. They also have three pet beagles. On Wednesday, Jota and Cardoso, 28, posted video footage of their wedding, with the caption: 'A day we will never forget.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pedro Neto may miss Copa do Brasil tie with Palmeiras
A tragedy involving the brothers Diogo Jota and André Silva could impact Chelsea. Top scorer for the English team in the FIFA Club World Cup with three goals, Pedro Neto was very close to Diogo Jota. And he might not face Palmeiras this Friday (4), in a decisive match for the quarter-finals of the competition. 📸 Buda Mendes - 2025 Getty Images Advertisement Very shaken after the tragedy, he was excused from training this Thursday (3) and will have the club's full support if he decides not to take the field at Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia. "It's a decision we've given him, it's up to him to decide. We will support him in whatever he decides, whether he is on the field or not tomorrow, we will be here supporting him.", said coach Enzo Maresca in a press conference. "A very sad day. It's hard to find words, really the feeling of being helpless. I would like to send my love to his family, it's a great tragedy. It's a very great sadness. We are close to Pedro to support him at this moment.", he added. Liverpool will retire the number 20 jersey in honor of Diogo Jota Advertisement Pedro Neto and Diogo Jota played together for Wolverhampton in the 2019/2020 season. And they became athletes for the Portugal national team. They were, for example, champions of the last Nations League against Spain less than a month ago. The Italian coach also spoke about Estêvão, who will be a Chelsea player as soon as Palmeiras' participation in the World Cup ends. "We are preparing for a game against Palmeiras, not against Estêvão. He will play for them, we don't care if he will play for Chelsea in the future. We try to beat Palmeiras, not Estêvão. We think of them as a team." Advertisement Palmeiras and Chelsea will face each other starting at 10 PM (Brasília time) this Friday. The winner will face Fluminense or Al-Hilal in the semi-final. The game will be the first of the day, starting at 4 PM (Brasília time). 📸 Photo: Instagram/Playback This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
