The parents of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool forward who tragically lost his life in a car crash last summer, were present at Portugal's opening World Cup match against DR Congo. Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, died in the summer of 2025. Jota, who had previously represented Wolves and Porto, would have featured in Roberto Martinez's squad for the tournament being staged across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Emotional Tribute Before Kick-Off
Ahead of kick-off, a large image of Jota was displayed on the screens inside the stadium during the national anthems. Jota's parents, Joaquim and Isabel, were visibly emotional in the stands as they watched on. Within minutes of the match getting under way, Portugal took the lead through PSG midfielder Vitinha, who headed home a cross from Pedro Neto, pointing to the sky in celebration.
Special Wristbands Honoring Jota
Every Portugal player donned a special wristband for the opening fixture. Jota earned 49 caps for his country, finding the net on 14 occasions throughout that time. The green and red wristbands were a gift from Portuguese prime minister Luis Montenegro, who presented them to the squad during a pre-tournament reception.
Each wristband bears the names of every member of the current World Cup squad, alongside Jota's. The bands were specially made to meet FIFA's strict equipment and on-pitch regulations. "Basically, the story of the wristband is, when we went to meet with the prime minister, he offered us this wristband," Vitinha explained. "They made sure that it was a wristband that we could wear on the pitch. 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."
Manager's Tribute
Portugal manager Martinez also paid tribute to Jota ahead of the tournament. "Diogo is our light," he said. "Diogo is our reference of wanting to do or needing to do what his dream was, which was winning titles for Portugal, like he did, winning the Nations League. He was a big part of what we built in the dressing room. He wanted to win the World Cup, so it becomes a bit of a responsibility, an example, because Diogo was the pure example of believing in whatever could be possible, always with that tenacity, always finding the answer in the right moment in the difficult moment in the game."
