Before the start of Al Hilal’s quarter-final clash with Fluminense at the FIFA Club World Cup on 5 July, football paused for a sombre tribute to Portugal international Diogo Jota.
The Liverpool forward, along with his younger brother André Silva, tragically died in a car crash in Spain earlier this week.
As players, officials and fans stood in a minute’s silence, two of Jota’s Portugal teammates , João Cancelo and Rúben Neves were visibly emotional. The pair, now teammates at Saudi club Al Hilal, struggled to hold back tears as they stood on the pitch during the tribute at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
This is so sad 💔 pic.twitter.com/5SLEDLHafW
— Dubois (@CFC_Dubois) July 4, 2025
The moment cut through the intensity of the occasion, offering a reminder of the human side of the sport. Both Cancelo and Neves have played alongside Jota on the international stage for several years, and the loss has clearly hit them hard.
The tribute served not only to honour Jota’s memory as a footballer, but as a respected and beloved figure within the Portuguese national team and wider footballing world.