Cristiano Ronaldo was absent from Diogo Jota's funeral on Saturday. Jota's final goodbye took place in his hometown at a Gondomar church, near Porto, Portugal, following his and brother Andre Silva's tragic deaths in a road incident in Spain.
Liverpool's squad members and Jota's colleagues from the Portuguese national side, along with past teammates from Wolves, made their way to Portugal to pay homage.
Anfield standouts Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson were spotted presenting red floral tributes at the church, while Portuguese internationals Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Joao Neves also attended the service inside the Chapel of the Resurrection.
Neves, who shared the pitch with Jota for both Wolves and the Portugal side, was one of those who assisted in bearing the coffin, flying in from the United States where he had been competing for Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup.
However, Ronaldo, the skipper for Portugal, did not feature among those mourning at the service, which was presided over by priest Jose Manuel Macedo at Igreja Matriz de Gondomar.
Mirror Football reports that Ronaldo was concerned that his attendance in the quaint locale of Gondomar might distract from the sombre proceedings honouring his teammate and Andre. Recently preferring to stay out of the public eye, Ronaldo has been ensconced with his kin.
Following the heartbreaking news on Thursday, Ronaldo did extend a heartfelt homage to Jota via social media, expressing: "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 Andre. We will all miss you."
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo played alongside Diogo Jota for Portugal (Image: Mikolaj Barbanell/Getty Images)
In attendance with Van Dijk and Robertson were fellow Liverpool teammates Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa, along with manager Arne Slot. Caoimhin Kelleher, Jordan Henderson, and James Milner, all formerly of Liverpool, were also there to pay their respects.
Jota and his brother tragically passed away when the Lamborghini they were in spun off the road in north west Spain and burst into flames in the early hours of Thursday morning. The funeral occurred after a private wake on Friday, joined by Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who he wed just last month, alongside his immediate family.
The Portuguese Football Federation expressed their sombre sentiments over the incident, stating: "Diogo Jota was not only a fantastic player with almost 50 caps for the national team, but also an extraordinary person who was respected by all his team-mates and opponents. He had a contagious joy and was a reference point in his own community.
"On behalf of the Portuguese Football Federation and myself, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Diogo and Andre as well as Liverpool FC and FC Penafiel, the respective clubs of the players.
"We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honour their legacy every day."