🙏🏽 Portugal pays tribute on first anniversary of Diogo Jota's death + | OneFootball

It was already July 3 in Portugal when the Seleção das Quinas secured its place in the FIFA World Cup round of 16.

At the end of the epic clash in Toronto, the celebration over qualification was paused for another tribute to Diogo Jota.

The then-Liverpool forward and his brother André Silva died in a car accident on exactly a July 3, but last year. 

Cristiano Ronaldo was the one responsible for holding up the number 21 shirt, which had been worn by Jota, for photographs.

And afterwards, he wore it while giving a fan his own shirt. 

📸 Mattia Ozbot - 2026 Getty Images

📸 Buda Mendes - 2026 Getty Images

📸 Buda Mendes - 2026 Getty Images

The one who took over the No. 21 shirt for the national team was Rúben Neves, Jota's best friend. 

Rúben Neves was the one chosen to come on for Cristiano Ronaldo in the 80th minute.

And he almost became the "villain," as Croatia found an equalizer in the 113th minute after the ball deflected off him following Gvardiol's attempt.

VAR flagged the offside and the score did in fact stay at 2-1. The same numbers (in order) as Diogo Jota's No. 21 shirt. 

Portugal are through to the round of 16. And they will have another chance to honor the memory of someone who would have been in Roberto Martínez's squad. 

CR7 steals the spotlight on social media

Legend, did I hear?

Who else was rooting for him too?

True?

Hater, is that you?

It wasn't!

And what's with all this pointless hate?

Deal with it or... lose it!

It worked out, man!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Mattia Ozbot - 2026 Getty Images