Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to Diogo Jota's demise: 'I know you'll always...'

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was among many in the footballing world who paid an emotional tribute to Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who tragically died in a car crash.

 

"It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the national team, just now you had 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 André. We will all miss you," Ronaldo wrote on Instagram and X.

 

Jota was part of the Cristiano-led Portugal squad that won the UEFA Nations League titles in 2018–19 and 2024–25.

 

Many Portugal internationals including Rafael Laeo and Ruben Neves shared similar emotional statements after the news of his demise broke. Neves, who played in Wolverhampton apart from the national team, wrote on Instagram: "They say we only lose people when we forget them. I will never forget you."

 

The 28-year-old forward earned 49 caps for the Portugal senior team, scoring 14 goals.

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He made his senior debut on November 14, 2019, against Lithuania in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier, coming on as a substitute. His first international goal came on September 5, 2020, in a Nations League victory over Croatia.

 

Diogo Jota car crash

 

Jota and his brother Andre Silva (26) died in a car crash in northwestern Spain early on Thursday, when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames, authorities said. Evidence at the scene of the crash near the city of Zamora suggests Jota's car suffered a burst tyre while overtaking, Spanish police said in a statement. The crash occurred around 00:30 a.m. (2230 GMT)

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