Cristiano Ronaldo Criticized for Absence from Diogo Jota’s Funeral: Media and Sister Explain
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Funeral Absence that Prompted Criticisms
Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away alongside his brother, André Silva, on the 3rd of July, was involved in a fatal car crash. According to media outlet BBC, the accident occurred on the A-52 highway near Zamora in Spain. Jota and Silva were traveling in a Lamborghini, which bursted a tire while overtaking another vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and catch fire. The car was completely destroyed, and both men died at the scene.
The tragedy became even more heartbreaking as it was discovered that Jota had just gotten married to his longtime partner, Lute Cardoso, about 10 days before the accident. The couple had been together since 2012 and had three children. They had celebrated their wedding in a church in Braga, northern Portugal, just a week before his untimely passing. Jota’s wedding video, which was shared on his social media, tragically became his final post.
The football world was left in shock and mourning following Jota’s sudden death. Liverpool FC, Jota’s club, issued a statement expressing their sadness, calling it cruel that Jota’s football career ended with such triumph, including a Premier League championship and UEFA Nations League victory. The club also announced that his number 20 jersey would be retired in honor of his contribution to Liverpool’s 2024-2025 Premier League victory—the first permanent jersey retirement in the club’s history.
Arne Slot, Jota’s manager at Liverpool, was deeply shaken, describing the pain and shock of losing his player. Slot said, “What can you even say? The shock and pain are too raw. There is nothing anyone can say in a moment like this… When the time is right, we will celebrate Jota’s life, his goals, and sing his chants. For now, we will remember him as a special person and mourn his passing. He will never be forgotten. His name is Diogo.”
Many of Jota’s national team teammates were also visibly upset. Ruben Neves shared a heartfelt tribute, stating, “They say that you only lose someone when you forget them. I will never forget you. From today, you will walk with me onto the pitch, on that stage where we first met. We will continue to walk the same path.”
Ronaldo, too, expressed his grief on social media, writing, “It doesn’t make sense. We were just together in the national team, and you just got married. I send my condolences to your family, wife, and children. I wish that all the strength of the world reaches them. I know you will always be with them. Diogo and André, may you rest in peace. We will all miss you.”
Não faz sentido. Ainda agora estávamos juntos na Seleção, ainda agora tinhas casado. À tua familia, à tua mulher e aos teus filhos, envio os meus sentimentos e desejo-lhes toda a força do mundo. Sei que estarás sempre com eles. Descansem em Paz, Diogo e André. Vamos todos sentir… pic.twitter.com/H1qSTvPoQs
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) July 3, 2025
However, Ronaldo’s absence at the joint funeral of Jota and Silva in their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal, sparked controversy. Many fans were critical of Ronaldo’s decision to skip the funeral, especially since Ruben Neves, fresh from a trip to the Club World Cup in the U.S., carried Jota’s coffin himself. Some reports even suggested that Ronaldo was vacationing on the Spanish island of Mallorca, which added to the backlash.
Media Explained Reason Rooted in Trauma
On the 5th of July (Korean time), Portuguese media outlet Record reported that Ronaldo’s absence from Diogo Jota’s funeral, despite their close relationship, was not due to lack of respect, but rather personal reasons stemming from past trauma. The report mentioned that Ronaldo had been supporting the families of Jota and André Silva since the tragic news of their death, which was revealed after a car accident in Spain.
Nonetheless, Ronaldo’s absence was rooted in deeply personal reasons. The Mirror reported that Ronaldo had concerns that his presence in the small town of Gondomar might distract from the focus of the funeral. He had been spending quiet time with his family following the tragedy.
Record further explained that Ronaldo’s absence could be traced to emotional trauma from a similar experience in 2005. At that time, Ronaldo received the devastating news of his father, José Dinis Aveiro, passing away while the Portugal team was preparing for a match against Russia in Moscow. Ronaldo learned of the news through coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, and it was this event that shaped his preference for more private and reserved mourning in the aftermath of loss.
The report continued, explaining that Ronaldo, who had publicly expressed his condolences following the loss of his father, now prefers to approach mourning with care and privacy. He continues to offer full support to those affected by tragedy, including the families of Jota and Silva. Despite his absence from the funeral, Ronaldo expressed his deep sorrow on social media, sharing in the grief of the families and his national teammates.
Sister Left Scathing Remarks
Meanwhile, amid criticisms directed at Cristiano Ronaldo, the football legend’s sister left scathing remarks directed at netizens. Particularly, in an emotional series of posts on Instagram, Katia Aveiro affirmed that her brother’s decision was the right one and criticized those who “only know how to judge senselessly.”
“When my father passed away, in addition to the pain of loss, we had to face a wave of cameras and curious onlookers at the cemetery and everywhere we went,” she wrote, adding, “back then, the media wasn’t even as developed as it is now… We, the children, couldn’t leave the chapel except at the time of the burial, because the chaos was just too much.”
Aveiro continued, “When it comes to grief, family, and real support… you’ll never understand it until you go through it. If anyone sends me a message criticizing anything my brother does, I will block them immediately – meaning they’ll only get to do it once. It’s truly exhausting. The fanaticism. The irrational criticism – and I emphasize irrational… Society is truly disgraceful.”
“Everyone has a family. It’s shameful to see TV channels, commentators, and social media focusing only on one absence (a wise one), instead of respecting the grief of a family shattered by the loss of two sons. I feel ashamed witnessing this. It’s deeply sad“, she concluded.
