Portugal honour Diogo Jota with wristbands at World Cup 2026 after star's fatal crash

Portugal’s squad are carrying Diogo Jota’s name into the 2026 World Cup, wearing commemorative wristbands that list all 26 players in Roberto Martinez’s squad plus the Liverpool forward who died in a car crash in Zamora, Spain, on 3 July 2025.

The wristbands were presented to the squad by Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha confirmed the team’s decision to wear them throughout the tournament. “It has all the specifics for us to be able to enter the pitch with it, with the name of all the players plus the special name of Diogo Jota,” Vitinha said ahead of Portugal’s Group K opener against DR Congo. “We received it with a lot of affection and we chose to use it.”

Jota’s name was also included in Portugal’s official World Cup squad announcement last month — a gesture that underlined how central he had been to the national team’s plans for the tournament.

The crash that claimed his life came at one of the most joyful moments of his personal life. Jota and his long-term partner, Rute Cardoso, had married on 22 June 2025. On 1 July, Rute posted four wedding photographs to Instagram with the caption: “My dream came true.” Jota replied in the comments: “But I’m the lucky one.”

Two days later, Guardia Civil confirmed they were investigating a road accident at 12.30am on the A52 in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. Authorities said the evidence pointed to a car leaving the road after a tyre blowout while overtaking. Both occupants were killed. “After identification, the victims are Diogo Jota, Liverpool player, and his brother Andre Felipe,” the statement read.

Jota had been expected to feature prominently in Portugal’s World Cup campaign this summer. Instead, his international team-mates are ensuring his presence is felt throughout the tournament in the only way now available to them.