Portugal dedicate Croatia World Cup clash to Diogo Jota on first anniversary of his death

Portugal will carry the memory of Diogo Jota onto the pitch against Croatia in Toronto, with the match falling on the eve of the first anniversary of the Liverpool striker’s death in a car crash in Spain on 3 July 2025.

Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva were killed when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames in northwestern Spain. The tragedy came just 11 days after Jota had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children. Last week she posted his wedding speech online to mark their one-year anniversary.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has named Jota an honorary member of his World Cup squad and described him as an enduring presence within the group. “I think we need to honour Diogo Jota,” Martinez said after Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Colombia. “He’s probably the sign and the light of the biggest stimulation that we have. We want to win the World Cup for him.”

Midfielder Vitinha echoed that sentiment ahead of the last-32 tie. “So many motivations to win the match, and there’s yet this additional factor, this special day,” he said. “We have all the motivation — for our families, for Diogo Jota, for the whole country, for the whole of Portugal.”

Because of the time difference between Toronto and Europe, the clock in Portugal will tick past midnight into 3 July — the exact anniversary — while the match is still being played in Canada. Martinez acknowledged the weight of the date without framing it solely as grief. “I wouldn’t say that the anniversary needs to be especially difficult,” he said. “I would say that it’s a little bit of a celebration.”

Jota scored 14 goals in 49 appearances for Portugal and was widely expected to have been part of this World Cup squad. His parents, Joaquim and Isabel, attended Portugal’s opening match against Congo, where an emotional tribute was paid before kick-off.

Portugal’s players are wearing wristbands bearing Jota’s name throughout the tournament. Back on Merseyside, tributes are also expected at Anfield, where work is under way on a permanent memorial to Jota and his brother outside the stadium, titled ‘Forever 20’.