Portuguese national team striker Cristiano Ronaldo did not attend the funeral of his teammate Diogo Jota and Jota’s brother André Silva, who died in an accident. The ceremony took place on Saturday in the city of Gondomar, where Jota was born.
According to Portuguese media outlet A Bola, Ronaldo chose to support the family in a private manner, contacting them personally—especially Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso, and his parents.
The Al-Nassr FC player, who also captains the Portuguese national team, reportedly skipped the funeral to avoid media chaos and unwanted attention from the public.
Although Ronaldo was absent, several of Jota’s national team teammates, such as Rúben Neves, João Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, and Diogo Dalot, attended the final tribute.
Portugal’s national team coach Roberto Martínez was also present and said: “Today, we showed the world that Portugal is a big, loving family.”
Players from Liverpool, where Jota played, were also in attendance. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker, though not physically present, posted a message on Instagram saying: “I’m deeply saddened not to be with my friend at a time like this. We will always remember Diogo as a good friend, a blessed man, and a kind father.”
Currently, Ronaldo is on holiday in Mallorca, Spain.
