Cristiano Ronaldo paid a touching tribute to the late Diogo Jota following Portugal's 2-1 victory over Croatia in the World Cup, marking the one-year anniversary of Jota's death. After the match, Ronaldo donned a Portugal shirt with the number 21, which Jota wore for his national team, and held it aloft alongside his teammates in front of the fans in Toronto.
Match Highlights and Victory
Portugal secured their place in the Last 16 with a hard-fought win. Ronaldo and Goncalo Ramos scored the goals that clinched the victory for Roberto Martinez's side. The match saw late drama when a potential equalizer by Josko Gvardiol for Croatia was disallowed after a VAR review, preserving Portugal's 2-1 lead.
Emotional Tribute to Jota
As the team celebrated their win, Ronaldo put on a shirt bearing Jota's number 21 and approached the fans. The team then held the shirt up together, creating poignant scenes. Earlier, before the match, an image of Jota was displayed on the big screen during the Portuguese national anthem.
Friday marks exactly one year since Diogo Jota tragically lost his life at the age of 28 in a car crash, alongside his younger brother, Andre Silva. Ronaldo's tribute was a classy gesture to honor his former teammate's memory on this somber anniversary.
