Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal national team honored their late teammate Diogo Jota after securing a 2-1 victory against Croatia in Toronto on Thursday.
Ronaldo, who netted the opening goal for Portugal from the penalty spot, donned Jota’s No. 21 jersey after the match. With tears in his eyes, he pointed to the sky while gathered with his teammates.
This Friday marks one year since Jota and his brother André Silva tragically lost their lives in a car accident in western Spain. Jota represented Portugal 49 times, scoring 14 goals.
“We were aware of it before the game; it was such a special moment,” Ronaldo shared with Fox. “We talked today about the coincidences of life, and it’s truly unbelievable.”
“The events of today carry significant meaning for us, not just because we won, but also because of how it unfolded,” he added.
He also commented to Portugal’s Sport TV: “We feel his presence with us, and winning today was the best way to honor him.”
After Ivan Perisic opened the scoring for Croatia, Ronaldo equalized in the 68th minute with another penalty, marking his first goal in a World Cup knockout stage at the age of 41 years and 147 days, making him the oldest player to score in that round of a men’s World Cup.
Gonçalo Ramos sealed the win for Portugal with a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
“Every day is special for us; we talk about [Jota] often,” Ramos told reporters. “He gives us strength, and winning today is incredibly meaningful as we progress into a crucial stage of this tournament.”
The match concluded amidst controversy, as Croatia believed they had equalized late in the game. However, Mario Pasalic was ruled offside by VAR, negating the goal.
“We always had faith, from the very beginning,” said Portugal forward Rafael Leão. “And Diogo Jota was a crucial factor in our belief, always with us.”
Portugal will next compete against Spain in the round of 16 in Arlington, Texas, on Monday.