Cristiano Ronaldo has publicly addressed his absence from the funeral of his former Portugal teammate, Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away in a car accident in early July. The accident, which occurred in Spain, also claimed the life of Jota's brother, Andre Silva. Jota's death at the age of 27 sent shockwaves through the football community.
In an interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo explained his reasons for not attending the funeral service held in Gondomar. He stated that his decision was rooted in a combination of personal grief and a desire to avoid unnecessary attention.
Ronaldo revealed that since the death of his father in September 2005, he has not visited a cemetery. "One of the things I don't do is, after my father died, I haven't been in a cemetery again," Ronaldo explained.
Furthermore, he expressed concern that his presence at the funeral would have created a media spectacle, diverting attention from the mourning family and the solemnity of the occasion. "When you know me and you know my reputation? Wherever I go, it is a circus," Ronaldo said. "I don't go out because, if I go, the attention goes to me. I don't want this sort of attention". He added, "I didn't go also, then the attention comes to me, and I don't want that attention".
Ronaldo emphasized that his absence was not a sign of disrespect. He said he supported Jota’s family privately. "People criticise me a lot. As I say, I don't care about that because when you feel your conscience is good, free, you don't have to be worried about what people say," Ronaldo stated. He further explained, "I felt good with my decision. I don't need to be on the front lines. I was thinking of his family, I don't need to be up front to see what I'm doing. I do it behind the cameras".
Ronaldo shared that he was with his partner, Georgina Rodriguez, when he received the news of Jota's passing. "I was with Gio alone in our period of rest. I was there in the gym in the morning with Gio. I didn't believe it when they sent me messages. I cried a lot. Gio can confirm that," he recounted. He described the news as "a very, very difficult moment for the country, for families, for friends, for teammates," adding, "A disaster. Very, very, very sad news".
Diogo Jota was a key player for Liverpool, with 65 goals and 26 assists in 182 appearances after joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020. His contributions were instrumental in Liverpool's Premier League title wins, including the 2024-25 season. Jota represented Portugal 49 times since his debut in 2019. Many of Jota's national and club teammates, including Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes, attended the funeral to pay their respects.
