Diogo Jota's parents were in attendance to watch Portugal play DR Congo at the World Cup, where a tribute to the former Liverpool striker was made before kick-off in Texas
18:13, 17 Jun 2026Updated 18:23, 17 Jun 2026
Diogo Jota's parents were at the first Portugal game at the FIFA World Cup
Diogo Jota's parents were at the first Portugal game at the FIFA World Cup(Image: FOX Sports)
The parents of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool forward who tragically passed away in a car accident last summer, were present at Portugal's opening World Cup fixture against DR Congo.
Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, lost their lives in the summer of 2025. Jota, who previously played for Wolves and Porto, would have been in Roberto Martinez's squad for the tournament being held in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Before the game, there was a big image of Jota on the screens inside the stadium during the national anthems. Jota's parents, Joaquim and Isabel, were visibly moved in the stands, where they were watching on.
A few minutes into the game, Portugal moved a goal in front through PSG midfielder Vitinha, who headed in a cross from Pedro Neto. He pointed to the sky in celebration.
Every Portugal player is wearing a special wristband for the opening game. Jota earned 49 caps for Portugal and netted 14 goals in that period.
The green and red wristbands were a present from the Portuguese prime minister, Luis Montenegro, who gifted them to the squad during a pre-tournament gathering.
PORTO, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 16: A memorial for Diogo Jota is seen on a screen in the stands during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Portugal and Armenia at Estadio do Dragao on November 16, 2025 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Portugal is set to pay tribute to Diogo Jota at this year's World Cup(Image: Getty Images)
Each wristband has the names of every member of the current World Cup party, alongside Jota's. The bands were specifically manufactured to comply with FIFA's stringent equipment and on-pitch regulations.
"Basically, the story of the wristband is, when we went to meet with the prime minister, he offered us this wristband," Vitinha explained.
"They made sure that it was a wristband that we could wear on the pitch. It has all the specifics for us to be able to enter the pitch with it, with the name of all the players, plus the special name of Diogo Jota.
"He let us choose if we wanted to use it or not, how [we use it], during the day or during the match. We received it with a lot of affection, and we chose to use it."
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Portugal boss Martinez also spoke about Jota heading into the tournament.
"Diogo is our light," he said. "Diogo is our reference of wanting to do or needing to do what his dream was, which was winning titles for Portugal, like he did, winning the Nations League. He was a big part of what we built in the dressing room.
"He wanted to win the World Cup, so it becomes a bit of a responsibility, an example, because Diogo was the pure example of believing in whatever could be possible, always with that tenacity, always finding the answer in the right moment in the difficult moment in the game."