Cristiano Ronaldo wore the late Diogo Jota’s No.21 shirt and was visibly emotional as Portugal marked the first anniversary of Jota’s death during their World Cup round-of-16 tie with Croatia. Jota, 28, and his brother André Silva died when the Lamborghini they were in left the road and caught fire in northwest Spain. Portugal had integrated tributes throughout the tournament: coach Roberto Martínez named Jota an honorary member of the delegation, midfielder Rúben Neves wore the No.21 shirt, and Prime Minister Luís Montenegro gave players bracelets bearing Jota’s name. Jota scored 14 goals in 49 appearances for Portugal and his parents attended matches, visibly moved during earlier tributes at the World Cup. Teammates framed the match as extra motivation, with Vitinha saying the anniversary added a special incentive to play for Diogo Jota and the country. The kickoff fell after midnight in Portugal, so the fixture coincided with the actual date of the anniversary on July 3 in Portuguese time, reinforcing the emotional tone around the team.
