Cristiano Ronaldo misses Diogo Jota's funeral as reason for absence emerges

Irish Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Cristiano Ronaldo chose not to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, as it is believed he felt his fame could bring the attention away from the two tragic brothers.
A large number of their former colleagues attended the ceremony at a church in Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, following Jota and Silva's fatal car accident in Spain. Former team-mates from Liverpool, Wolves, the Portugal national team and many others joined other friends and family in saying goodbye to the two siblings.
Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were spotted bringing red blooms into the church, Manchester United captain and Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes also attended, as did Ruben Neves, Jota's ex-colleague with the national team and Wolves.
Neves, who jetted in from the United States after playing for Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup, was one of the pallbearers who took the coffin into the church. However, Ronaldo wasn't seen among the congregation at the service, led by Jose Manuel Macedo at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.
According to the Mirror, Ronaldo opted not to visit the small town to prevent his fame from eclipsing the tribute to the two brothers. The football star – wary his presence may overshadow the farewell – has kept out of the spotlight recently, sticking close to his family.
Ronaldo did take to social media with a poignant homage to Jota after the awful news emerged on Thursday. His post read: "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."
In a show of solidarity, Liverpool's Van Dijk and Robertson were joined by team-mates Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and manager Arne Slot. Former Reds players Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson and James Milner also paid their respects.
The tragic accident that claimed Jota and his brother occurred when their Lamborghini veered off the road in north west Spain and burst into flames early on Thursday morning. The subsequent funeral came after a private wake on Friday, attended by Jota's recent bride Rute Cardoso and his family.
The Portuguese Football Federation released a heartfelt statement following the devastating event. They wrote: "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. 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."