Following their untimely deaths earlier this week, Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, were buried on Saturday morning at a chapel in Gondomar, close to Porto, Portugal. Following their involvement in a terrible vehicle accident on Thursday morning, the football community and the wider world have paid their respects to the siblings.
Some of Jota’s former Wolves colleagues attended the funeral, along with players from Liverpool and Portugal. A number of people, including Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo, were unable to attend the funeral due to various circumstances.
Ronaldo, who played 32 games for Portugal with Jota, paid a moving homage to his late teammate on X (previously Twitter) after learning of the tragedy. The forty-year-old wrote:
“That’s not logical. You recently got married, and we were on the same national team.
“My deepest sympathies and best wishes are sent to your family, including your wife and kids. You will always be with them, I’m sure of it. Diogo and Andre, may you rest in peace. We’ll all miss you.
The Heartfelt Reason Cristiano Ronaldo Didn’t Attend Jota’s Funeral
Together, the two won the June Nations League.
Ronaldo last saw Jota on June 8, as he stated in his statement, when they both contributed to Portugal’s victory against Spain in the UEFA Nations League final. Unfortunately, that would be the last time they would spend time together.
According to The Mirror, Ronaldo didn’t want to draw attention away from the tragic events, which is why the Al-Nassr striker skipped the wake and funeral. It is asserted that:
Ronaldo feared that his presence would overshadow the farewell to his friend and younger brother in the small town of Gondomar. With his family by his side, he has been keeping a quiet profile lately.
Social media has revealed that Jota and Silva’s burial was public, and the Portugal captain didn’t want to be perceived as a distraction in any kind. Jota’s well-known teammates, including Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves, Andy Robertson, and Virgil van Dijk, were all present after some witnessed Jota marry his wife, Rute Cardoso, in Porto just two weeks prior.
Liverpool has stated that it will honour Jota’s remaining contract with the team, making every effort to provide for his family. There were still two years left on the late forward’s Anfield contract.
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