Fernandes vows Diogo Jota will inspire Portugal's World Cup bid nearly a year after his death

Bruno Fernandes has declared that the memory of Diogo Jota will drive Portugal’s bid to win the World Cup, with Roberto Martinez’s side opening their campaign against DR Congo in Houston on Wednesday — almost a year after the Liverpool forward and his brother André Silva were killed in a car crash in Portugal.

The football world was left in shock last summer when Jota and his brother died in the accident. Fernandes, who played alongside Jota through Portugal’s under-21 ranks and into the senior squad, says the loss has never left the group’s consciousness.

“He was in the group for so long and I played with him through the under-21s,” the Manchester United captain said. “We came to the first team at the same time, and I obviously played against him in the Premier League. Everyone has spoken about him. It will always be good words about him. He was a great team-mate, very down to earth and a great person for the country.”

“He’s still part of our group — and always will be. So will his brother be, too. He will also be in our memories.”

Portugal have never won a World Cup, and Fernandes was unambiguous about the scale of the squad’s ambition heading into the tournament.

“The best one is the one that wins, and I hope at the end we can claim to be that,” he said. “I do believe we have a very talented squad with great individual quality and beyond that, we are a very cohesive team and united. That’s what makes this team special.”

Fernandes was careful, however, to temper expectation with focus. “Our dream is to be there. I think dreaming is not forbidden. But our main focus is to start well and focus on the first game in hand. If we really want to reach the top, we have to not look too far ahead. There is a responsibility, because this team has so many talents — we just have to be decisive to reach the top.”

Martinez’s squad, which includes Cristiano Ronaldo, is widely regarded as one of the stronger European sides in the tournament, though Portugal’s record in major finals has historically fallen short of their individual talent.