The tribute occurred exactly one year after Jota and his younger brother, Andre Silva, died in an automobile accident in western Spain. "We all know the significance of today," Ronaldo said after the match. "The entire team always talks about this coincidence."
Instead of celebrating, Ronaldo approached the technical area, put on Jota's number 21 jersey, and pointed skyward. At this year's World Cup, all Portuguese players wear bracelets given by Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, inscribed with the names of the entire team and the late forward Jota.
"We know Jota is always with us. Winning is the most fitting way to remember him," Ronaldo stated.
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Cristiano Ronaldo wears the jersey of former player Diogo Jota, as Portugal secures a spot in the World Cup round of 16. Photo: Kevin Sousa/Reuters |
On the field, Croatia opened the scoring through Ivan Perisic. Ronaldo equalized from a penalty in the 68th minute. At 41 years and 147 days old, he became the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout stage match. In the fourth minute of added time, Gonçalo Ramos scored the winning goal, securing a 2-1 victory for Portugal.
"Jota brings strength to the entire team. We talk about him every day," Ramos remarked.
Ronaldo was 11 years older than Jota, but they played together for many years on the national team. They appeared in 32 matches, directly contributing to seven goals, and lifted the UEFA Nations League 2024-2025 trophy on 9/6/2025, one month before the tragedy.
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Cristiano Ronaldo, alongside Bernardo Silva and teammates, remembers former Portugal player Diogo Jota after the match. Photo: Kevin Sousa/Reuters |
When Jota died on 3/7/2025, Ronaldo was among the first to express condolences on social media but did not attend the funeral. According to Mirror, Ronaldo worried his presence would attract media attention, affecting the privacy of the ceremony.
Record newspaper reported that the forward proactively contacted Jota's family to explain his absence and affirmed his ongoing support.
Nhat Minh (According to Fox, Mirror)
