EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt West/Shutterstock (14543474ck) Diogo Jota of Portugal (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal (R) Portugal v Czechia, UEFA European Championship 2024, Group F, Football, Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany, 18 Jun 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo with former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota (Picture: Shutterstock)
Cristiano Ronaldo has defended his decision to miss the funeral of Liverpool footballer and Portugal teammate Diogo Jota.
Jota was killed in a car crash in July at the age of 28. His brother, Andre Silva, also died in the accident.
A title winner with Liverpool last season, Jota was a key and popular player at Anfield, making 182 appearances for the Reds.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and a number of Jota’s club teammates attended a joint-funeral for the brothers in Portugal.
Several of Jota’s international teammates, including Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, were also in attendance but Portugal legend Ronaldo decided not to attend.
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Ruben Neves was playing for Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup in the United States when Jota died but made the trip to Portugal to honour his close friend, among those helping carry the coffin into the church.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, was pictured on his summer holidays on the Spanish island of Majorca at the time of Jota’s funeral.
Funeral Held For Diogo Jota And Andre Silva In Their Hometown Of Gondomar
A joint-funeral was held for Jota and brother Andre Silva (Picture: Getty)
Why did Cristiano Ronaldo miss Diogo Jota’s funeral?
Explaining his absence on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Ronaldo said: ‘There’s two things.
‘People criticise me a lot and I don’t care about that because when you feel your conscious is good you don’t need to worry about what people say.
‘One of the things I don’t do after my father died is go to a cemetery.
‘Secondly, you know me and my reputation, wherever I go it’s a circus. I don’t go because the attention would be on me and I don’t want that.
Cristiano Ronaldo speaking with Piers Morgan (Picture: YouTube)
‘People can continue to criticise me but I felt good with my decision. I don’t need to go just so people can see me there.
‘I was thinking of his family and I didn’t need the cameras to see things I do.’
Revealing how he found out about his team-mate’s death, Ronaldo added: ‘I was with Gio [his partner Georgina Rodriguez] in the gym. I didn’t believe when I saw the messages.
‘I cried a lot. It was a very, very difficult moment for everyone; the country, fans, teammates, families.
‘It shows why you have to enjoy the moments and not think too much about the future. I’m not planning much in the long-term because everything can change in a moment.
‘We have to be happy to be here, enjoy life because you don’t know what’s going to in the future.
‘It was a shocking moment and we still feel it now. Diogo was one of us. He was a very good guy and a very good player.
‘I really liked knowing him and sharing some great moments. I spoke to his family and gave them my support.’
Ronaldo and the Portugal squad attended a ceremony paying tribute to Jota in September.
Shortly after the tragic incident back in July, Ronaldo said Jota’s death ‘didn’t make sense’ and sent a message of support to his wife and children.
FBL-PORTUGAL-TRIBUTE
Ronaldo attended a tribute ceremony for Jota in September (Picture: Getty)
‘Doesn’t make any sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you were married,’ he posted on social media.
‘To your family, to your wife and children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.
‘I know you will always be with them. R.I.P. Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.’
Jota died just 11days after marrying his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he had three children.
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