“Why Cristiano Ronaldo Was Absent from Diogo Jota’s Funeral”

Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, were laid to rest on Saturday morning at a church in Gondomar, a town near Porto, Portugal. Their funeral followed a devastating car accident that claimed both their lives on Thursday. The tragic news has led to an outpouring of tributes from the football community and beyond.

Among those in attendance were players from Liverpool, the Portuguese national team, and several of Jota’s former Wolverhampton Wanderers teammates. However, due to various reasons, not everyone was able to be present—most notably, Portugal’s captain, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Despite being absent, Ronaldo paid tribute to Jota with a heartfelt message on X (formerly Twitter), expressing disbelief and grief. He wrote:

> “It doesn’t make sense. We were just together with the national team, and you had just gotten married.
To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.
I know you’ll always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We’ll all miss you.”

The two shared the pitch 32 times for Portugal and celebrated a major milestone together, winning the UEFA Nations League in June.

According to The Mirror, Ronaldo’s absence was deliberate and deeply respectful. He reportedly chose not to attend the funeral to avoid drawing attention away from the solemnity of the occasion. The report explained:

> “Ronaldo was concerned that his presence in the small town of Gondomar might overshadow the farewell for his teammate and close friend. He’s been keeping a low profile, surrounded by family.”

Given how public the funeral had become on social media, Ronaldo didn’t want to be seen as a distraction. Many of Jota’s high-profile teammates—including Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Bruno Fernandes, and Rúben Neves—attended the service. Some had even been present at Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso just two weeks earlier.

Liverpool has since announced that they will honor the remaining two years of Jota’s contract, committing to support his family during this difficult time.