Diogo Jota (L) and Ronaldo (R) during one of Portugal’s games
Cristiano Ronaldo is facing a fierce backlash after failing to attend the funeral of his international teammate, Diogo Jota, who was laid to rest alongside his brother in Gondomar on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
While Jota’s grieving wife, Rute, and their three children were comforted by Liverpool teammates, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson, who carried floral tributes into the small chapel, Ronaldo, captain of the Portuguese national team, was missing from the list of mourners.
Jota and his brother André were killed in a car crash in northwest Spain in the early hours of Thursday, July 3, 2025. The Liverpool forward had only just married his wife two weeks ago.
As Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and even Ruben Neves, who flew from the Club World Cup in the US, joined the mourners, Ronaldo’s conspicuous absence did not go unnoticed back home.
Ronaldo reportedly feared his presence might ‘disrupt’ the small private service in Gondomar, a claim which fans online have dismissed with disbelief.
One wrote: “Not wishing him bad but imagine everyone did the same when it’s his turn — so distasteful.”
Another fumed: “Some players still call him the GOAT. How can you rank a player who can’t give his respect to his teammate?”
Others called it ‘selfish,’ ‘shameful,’ and ‘not befitting a captain.’
Ronaldo did post an emotional tribute in the hours after Jota’s passing: “It doesn’t make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you had just gotten married.”
But for many, those words now ring hollow.
Read some of the comments below:
I have defended this bro my whole life, but this time I can’t. It’s embarrassing and disgusting for a team captain and teammate not to attend the funeral. He should be ashamed of himself.
Al Hilal players went to the funeral after their game and he didn’t.— Sithokozile (@T_Stho) July 5, 2025
I don’t think this is true ,for whatever reason Ronaldo should have been in that funeral
— Michael udo(ImO 1st SoN)🇳🇬🇳🇬 (@Udoka62782315) July 5, 2025
Muting this rubbish on my timeline, he’s proven once again 🤦🏾♂️hopefully these are false claims
— Maimo (@iam_Maimo) July 5, 2025
this says a lot about Ronaldo, always selfish
— Max ⛋ (@djmusicmaxx) July 5, 2025
Not wishing him bad buh
Imagine everyone do the same to him when it’s his own turn — so distasteful— @BredCrum.Cee 𓃵 (@bredcrumcee) July 5, 2025
Some players still call him the GOAT. How can you rank a player who can’t give his respect to his teammate
— Bamche ⚓ (@BamcheUtd) July 5, 2025
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