2 hours ago Portugal paid a touching tribute to Diogo Jota astatine the extremity of their singular World Cup triumph against Croatia.
It is simply a twelvemonth since Jota, portion a Liverpool player, died successful a car accident successful Spain, 11 days aft marrying his semipermanent spouse Rute Cardoso.
His member Andre Silva was besides killed successful the mishap connected 3 July 2025.
At the extremity of Portugal's drama-filled 2-1 triumph to acceptable up a last-16 necktie against Spain, Cristiano Ronaldo enactment connected a peculiar '21' garment successful Jota's representation earlier the squad came unneurotic with the garment held aloft.
Before the game, towards the extremity of Portugal's nationalist anthem, Jota's representation appeared connected the large surface successful Toronto, and was greeted with a large cheer from the supporters.
Ronaldo besides appeared affectional arsenic the cameras focused connected him, having played with Jota 32 times for their country.
"Diogo is our prima and our light," said Portugal manager Roberto Martinez earlier the match, having named Jota arsenic an honorary 'plus-one' player erstwhile helium announced his squad successful May.
"We privation to triumph the World Cup for him."
Jota, 28, was connected his mode backmost to Liverpool for pre-season erstwhile the car, a Lamborghini, near the roadworthy due to the fact that of a tyre blowout portion overtaking different vehicle.
He was making the travel to England by car and ferry arsenic doctors had advised the forward, who celebrated winning the Premier League title 2 months earlier, against flying due to the fact that helium had undergone insignificant surgery.
"I inactive speech to him," Ruben Neves said astir Jota, his adjacent person and erstwhile Porto, Wolves and Portugal team-mate, successful the build-up to the match.
"We person a WhatsApp radical with Rute and Diogo, and it's inactive there, and we proceed to speech there," helium told Portuguese TV show, external Alta Definicao.
"Whenever thing peculiar happens, I person the conversations archived connected my WhatsApp truthful I tin proceed to nonstop him messages."
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