Cristiano Ronaldo was absent from Diogo Jota's funeral. What was the reason?
Ileana Sanchez
Dailysports's expert
Cristiano Ronaldo missed the funeral of his Portugal national teammate Diogo Jota, which took place on Saturday, July 5. The absence of the national team's captain sparked outrage among fans, who had expected him to pay his respects to his teammate.
According to media reports, Ronaldo told the bereaved family that he did not want the ceremony to turn into a “media circus.” He was concerned that his presence would compromise the private nature of the event, as people would focus their attention on him.
To defend Cristiano, his sister Katia Aveiro addressed the issue in a post on her Instagram page.
"When my father died, in addition to our pain, we had to endure crowds of cameras and curious onlookers. We couldn't leave the chapel until the burial was over. It was chaos. About pain, family, and genuine support... Those who haven't experienced it will never understand. If anyone criticizes my brother, I will block them—once and for all. Fanaticism, pointless criticism... A sick society. It's shameful that commentators focus on someone's absence instead of honoring the family's grief," Aveiro wrote.
It should be noted that Ronaldo was in Mallorca during the funeral, but he personally offered his condolences to Jota's family and assured them of his support.
