Portugal made touching tribute to Diogo Jota before World Cup clash on first anniversary of his death
Portugal made a touching tribute to Diogo Jota ahead of their World Cup match against Croatia.
Today (3 July) marks one year since the tragic passing of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, making tonight’s game particularly poignant for Portugal.
After the two teams headed out onto the pitch in Toronto, Jota’s image flashed up on the big screen during Portugal’s national anthem.
Tonight’s tribute comes after Jota’s former teammate Ruben Neves shared a heartwrenching confession about his friend.
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"I still talk to him," he told Portuguese TV show Alta Definicao ahead of tonight’s match.
"Few people know this. We have a WhatsApp group with Rute and Diogo, and it's still there, and we continue to talk there.
"Whenever something special happens, I have the conversations archived on my WhatsApp so I can continue to send him messages."
Jota died in a car crash in Spain, while he was heading back to Liverpool for pre-season training.
He was just 28.
To mark his friend’s memory, Neves has had a tattoo on his left calf depicting him hugging Jota, who is wearing his 21 Portugal shirt.
Tonight’s game is expected to be a highly emotional one for fans, players and head coach Roberto Martinez.
"Diogo is our sun and our light," Martinez said.
“We want to win the World Cup for him."
Speaking to BBC Sport, Martinez said that ‘every day is difficult’.
"Diogo's dream is still with us and he sets the standards, he sets the light for the direction of this group,” he said.
"Every day is difficult. When we are training, there are always moments when Diogo comes back into our memory.
"I think the anniversary is just a moment that makes this game [Croatia], Diogo Jota's game.
"Diogo will always be with us."
Back in May when Martinez announced his Portuguese squad, he named Jota as an honorary ‘plus-one’ player.
Liverpool FC have unveiled a memorial at Anfield
Jota’s former team Liverpool FC have also paid tribute a year on, unveiling a new permanent memorial at Anfield yesterday.
Named ‘Forever 20’, the monument is for both Jota and Silva and ‘celebrates their lives, their bond, and the love and respect felt for them by family, teammates and supporters across the world’.
In a statement Liverpool said: “Designed by renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers, at its centre is a flowing heart sculpture, in acknowledgement of Diogo's iconic goal celebration.
“Viewed from different angles, it reveals the numbers 20 and 30, which adorned the back of the brothers' playing shirts.
“It also features the lyrics to Jota's famous song so beloved by Liverpool fans, with each letter hand-carved and flowing along the fluid lines and elegant form of the sculpture, reflecting the dynamic yet graceful movement of the player himself.
“The memorial has been placed on 97 Avenue at Anfield, where thousands of physical tributes – including flowers, scarves, works of art, cards, banners and jerseys – were placed to create a poignant tribute area in the immediate aftermath of the tragic accident on July 3, 2025.”
Topics: World Cup
Claire Reid