Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from the funeral of Diogo Jota, which took place on Saturday morning. The sombre event was held at a church in Gondomar, near Porto, Portugal, where Jota and his brother Andre Silva—who both tragically died in a car crash in Spain—were laid to rest.
The ceremony drew attendees, including Jota’s Liverpool teammates, members of the Portugal national team, and his previous colleagues from Wolves, all coming together to pay their last respects.
Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were observed arriving with red floral tributes, while Portuguese football elites Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Neves also attended the service at the Chapel of the Resurrection.
Joao Neves, a former Wolves and Portugal teammate of Jota, assisted in bearing the coffin into the church after travelling from the United States, where he had been competing in the Club World Cup for Al-Hilal. However, Portugal skipper Ronaldo did not join the mourners at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar catholic church, where Father Jose Manuel Macedo presided over the proceedings.
According to Mirror Football, Ronaldo was concerned that his appearance in the small town might inadvertently draw focus away from the solemn goodbye to Jota and his sibling. Ronaldo has recently been maintaining a subdued profile surrounded by his family, reports the Mirror.
Despite his absence, Ronaldo expressed his grief online, sharing a heartfelt tribute following the heart-breaking incident. He expressed disbelief over the recent interactions with Jota, noting, “It doesn’t make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just gotten married.”
Diogo Jota’s colleagues, including defender Virgil van Dijk and left-back Andy Robertson, said their final goodbyes at the touching ceremony honouring the Liverpool player.
“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.”
Also there were other notable Liverpool players, including Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, and Darwin Nunez, as well as manager Arne Slot and ex-Liverpool players Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson, and James Milner.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese Football Federation stated in a statement, “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.”
The funeral ceremony comes after Jota and his brother sadly perished in a car accident early Thursday morning in Spain. “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.”