Cristiano Ronaldo has since spoken out on the reason why he did not attend the funeral of his late Portugal colleague, Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident in July.
Jota, together with his brother Andre Silva was involved in a horrific accident that shook the football world. Friends, family and teammates such as Virgil van Dijk, Arne Slot and Andy Robertson attended the funeral held in Gondomar, Portugal with emotional tributes. Nonetheless, the absence of Ronaldo attracted criticism among the fans as well as the media.
Addressing the media, the Al Nassr forward said that he did not show up due to his personal reasons and historic trauma. I quite enjoyed his company and spending time together. It was very sad. I got a chance to talk to his family and offer them my support, Ronaldo told me.
The five times Ballon d’Or winner disclosed that funerals have become particularly hard on him since his father Jose Dinis Aveiro passed on in 2005. He confessed that he had not gone to a cemetery since his father had died.
Ronaldo also mentioned that he did not wish to draw the attention of the media at such a period when the time was to mourn. Knowing me and knowing my reputation–anywhere I go it is a circus. I did not want the attention to be diverted to the family of Jota.
Jota, who is recalled as one of the humble and most dedicated players in Liverpool, played 182 games in the club and also played 49 games in the national team of Portugal. He also contributed significantly to the two WINs of the UEFA Nations League by Portugal in 2019 and 2025.
Ronaldo ended by admitting that he is at peace with his choice despite the societal criticism. People were free to criticise, but I was fine with my choice, and I was paying tribute to the memory of Jota in my manner.
