"The number 21 will belong to Neves, because that way, it will remain on the pitch with all of us," said coach Roberto Martinez. "Ruben was very close to Diogo, and is the ideal person to represent him."
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Neves has a tattoo of him hugging Jota on his leg. Photo: SP |
Neves has a tattoo of him hugging Jota on his leg. Photo: SP
Neves will give up his former number 18 shirt. He also has a tattoo of himself embracing Jota on the back of his leg in memory of his friend. Neves played alongside Jota at Wolves from 2017 to 2020 and for the national team from 2019 to 2025. They won the 2017-2018 English Championship and two Nations League titles together.
After Jota's death, Neves played through his grief in the Club World Cup quarter-final in the US, then flew back to Portugal to be a pallbearer at his friend's funeral. "More than friends, we are a family," Neves said. "And that won't change just because he signed a contract somewhere a little further away. When we gather with the national team, he'll still be right there with us, at the dinner table, on the bus, or on the plane. Life brought us together, and nothing can break that bond."
The decision to give the number 21 shirt to Neves was part of a memorial service for Jota at the Portugal training camp on 2/9. The attendees included Jota's parents, his wife Rute Cardoso, coach Martinez and his staff, and officials. The Portuguese Football Federation presented medals and commemorative plaques to Jota's family members. Cardoso then unveiled a bronze-framed number 21 shirt on the wall outside the training center.
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Cardoso unveils the bronze-framed number 21 shirt of her late husband. Photo: AFP |
Cardoso unveils the bronze-framed number 21 shirt of her late husband. Photo: AFP
The Portugal team is training for two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches: against Armenia on 6/9 and Hungary on 9/9. This is their first gathering since Jota's passing.
Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva were killed while driving from Portugal to Spain to catch a ferry to England on 3/7. The car reportedly had a tire blowout before veering off the road and catching fire. Jota was traveling by car on his doctor's advice to avoid flying, a precaution to minimize pressure on his lungs after recent surgery.
Liverpool has also retired Jota's number 20 shirt. His name and number will remain on the club's squad list every season.
Thanh Quy (according to The Sun)
