The Digest:
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was conspicuously absent from the funeral of his teammate Diogo Jota and Jota's brother, André Silva, in Gondomar, Portugal, sparking significant backlash, Despite expectations for his attendance alongside other club and country teammates, Ronaldo was reportedly holidaying on his luxury yacht in Majorca at the time of the services.
Key Points:
- Diogo Jota, a Liverpool winger, and his brother André Silva tragically died in the early hours of Thursday after their Lamborghini Huracán crashed following a suspected tire blowout.
- Ronaldo, Portugal's most capped player and captain, was a no-show at both the wake and the funeral mass, despite being expected to attend.
- Majorcan newspaper reports indicate Ronaldo was spotted on his £5.5 million yacht in two upmarket destinations on the island during the time of the funeral.
- Several prominent footballers, including Liverpool teammates, Manchester City's Bernardo Silva, and Manchester United's Diogo Dalot, were present at the funeral.
- Portuguese journalists and commentators, including Antonio Ribeiro Cristovao and Luis Cristovao, labeled Ronaldo's absence "inexplicable" and said he has a "responsibility" to explain his reasons.
- Pedro Fatela, a TV sports commentator, predicted the absence would be "much discussed" and that justifications would be sought in the coming days.
- Meanwhile, Ronaldo had posted an emotional tribute on social media upon learning of the brothers' deaths, expressing condolences to their family.
Sources: Linda Ikeji, Majorcan newspaper, Antonio Ribeiro Cristovao (Portuguese journalist)
