'I didn’t want the attention to shift from his family'
Cristiano Ronaldo has finally spoken about his absence from the funeral of Portugal teammate Diogo Jota -- a decision that had left many fans puzzled.
Jota and his brother André Filipe were killed in a tragic car accident on Spain’s A-52 highway near Palacios de Sanabria in Zamora on July 3. Their car suffered a tyre blowout while overtaking, veered off the road and burst into flames.
While several teammates, including Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Neves, were among the mourners, Ronaldo was conspicuous by his absence.
Speaking to Piers Morgan on his podcast, the 39-year-old Portuguese legend revealed the deeply personal reasons behind his decision.
'I was with Gio (Georgina Rodriguez, Ronaldo's girlfriend) during our rest period. I was in the gym in the morning. I didn’t believe it when I got the messages. I cried a lot -- Gio can confirm that. It was a very difficult moment for the country, his family, his friends, teammates,' Ronaldo recalled, his voice heavy with emotion.
The Al Nassr forward described Jota as 'humble and sincere', a teammate he admired.
'He’s not someone who speaks too much -- very level-headed. I really liked him, and we shared great moments together. It was sad. I spoke with his family to give my support.'
'People criticise a lot. I don't care about that. When your conscience is clear, you don't need to worry about what people say,' he said.
"After my father died, I haven't been to a cemetery again. And you know my reputation -- wherever I go, it becomes a circus. I didn't want that. I didn't want the attention to shift from his family."
In the end, Ronaldo said he made peace with his decision.
'I felt good about my decision. I planned everything thinking of his family.'
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