Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision not to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota has been defended by the president of the Portuguese Football Association.
Liverpool forward passed away on July 3Tributes flooded in from around the worldRonaldo among those to pay his respectsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Liverpool forward Jota tragically lost his life alongside brother Andre Silva in a road traffic accident on July 3. Just days after marrying childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, the 28-year-old was involved in a fatal crash when travelling through northern Spain to a ferry port.
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Domestic and international team-mates attended an emotional service in his hometown of Gondomar – including Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Virgil van Dijk – but Ronaldo opted to stay away as he feared his presence would overshadow proceedings.
WHAT PROENCA SAID
Pedro Proenca, head of the Portuguese Football Federation, has said of the criticism that Ronaldo attracted: “It's an immense injustice to say that Cristiano, in some way, played a more detached role in this. From the very beginning, the captain was with us and was one of the people who most closely connected with the national team family, with Jota's own blood family.
“And I say it again: what they said about our captain is unfair. Cristiano Ronaldo, he was one of the people who felt it the most, especially because he was a true team-mate of Jota. His physical absence means nothing more than that, because he never abandoned this family.”
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Ronaldo and Jota made 32 international appearances together, winning the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025. CR7 posted on social media after learning that a close friend had passed: “It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had 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 will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you.”