Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up on why he didn't attend the funeral of Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, explaining that he had two main reasons for staying away.
Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva, 26, had been driving through Zamora, Spain, towards a ferry heading back to the UK when they were involved in a car crash and died on the morning of 3 July.
The Liverpool footballer had just had a very successful season, winning the Premier League with his club and the Nations League with his country, while he had only just married his partner Rute Cardoso.
Spain's Guardia Civil explained that in the car crash, 'everything indicates a tyre burst while overtaking' and as a result 'the car caught fire and both people were killed'.
Advert
Ronaldo didn't attend the funeral, and in a recent interview, he told Piers Morgan why he decided to stay away.
Ronaldo said he had been in the gym when he got the news that Jota and Silva had died, admitting he 'didn't believe' it at first and revealed it had brought him to tears.
He described Jota as 'a very good guy' and said the Portuguese national team 'still feel the aura there' as the Liverpool player had been 'one of us'.
On not attending the funeral, he explained there were two reasons he decided to keep his distance.
He said: "Two things, people criticise me a lot. As I say, I don't care about that, because when you feel your conscience is good, free, you don't have to be worried about what the people say.
"But one of the things that I don't do, it's after my father died; I've never been in a cemetery again."
Ronald explained that the second reason was 'my reputation' as 'wherever I go is a circus', and he didn't want to bring that sort of attention to a funeral.
“People can continue to criticise me… I felt good with my decision. I don't need to be in the first line for people to see me… I'm planning the things, I'm thinking about his family, I don't need to be in the cameras for the people to see what I do. I do [it] behind the scenes," he explained.
Ronaldo had posted a tribute to Jota in the aftermath of the tragic crash, writing: It doesn't make sense. We were just together in 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 will always be with them.
"Rest in peace, Diogo and André. We will all miss you."
Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Football, Sport
Joe Harker