Ronaldo misses Jota's funeral after emotional tribute to late teammate

Daily Record

a day ago

Diogo Jota was laid to rest on Saturday morning, with a host of his Liverpool and Portugal teammates in attendance - but Cristiano Ronaldo was not present.
Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from Diogo Jota's funeral on Saturday morning, as the football world mourned the loss of the player and his brother Andre Silva, who tragically passed away in a car accident in Spain.
Jota was honoured in his hometown of Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, where he and his brother were laid to rest. The service saw an outpouring of support from Jota's Liverpool colleagues, members of the Portugal national squad, and his ex-Wolves teammates.
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Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were spotted bringing red floral tributes into the church, while Portuguese footballers Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Neves also attended the ceremony held at the Chapel of the Resurrection.
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Neves, a close friend and former teammate of Jota at both Wolves and on the international stage, was one of those carrying the coffin into the church after arriving from the United States, where he had been competing in the Club World Cup with Al-Hilal. However, Ronaldo, the captain of the Portugal team, did not join the gathering of mourners at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar catholic church.
According to Mirror Football, Ronaldo was concerned that his appearance in the small town might detract from the solemn occasion. In recent days, he has chosen to stay out of the public eye, spending time with his family instead, reports the Mirror.
Ronaldo did, however, share a heartfelt message on social media following the announcement of Jota's death on Thursday, expressing his disbelief and sorrow: "It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just 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 Andre. We will all miss you."
At the solemn gathering, Liverpool figures such as Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson stood united with teammates Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and the new gaffer Arne Slot. Former Reds Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson and James Milner also joined to pay their respects.
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The tragedy unfolded when Jota and his brother tragically passed away following a horrific car accident involving a Lamborghini in north west Spain that led to the vehicle catching fire last Thursday. The burial came after a private family observance on Friday, attended by Jota's spouse Rute Cardoso, whom he had just wedded the previous month, and close relatives.
The Portuguese Football Federation expressed their sadness, stating: "Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his team-mates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community."
They continued, "On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players.
"We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day."