Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portugal national team honor the memory of Diogo Jota ahead of the 2026 World Cup

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates appeared with a unique symbolic accessory during training sessions ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The players wore special bracelets dedicated to the memory of their former teammate Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away in a car accident last year. This is reported by Goal.com .

Preparing for the North American world championship in Miami, the "Seleção" representatives are showing through this gesture how significant the late forward's role was in the team's spirit. According to Goal.com, this commemorative item was personally presented by Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro before the team departed for the tournament.

PSG midfielder Vitinha spoke to journalists about the significance of these bracelets. According to him, the accessory was designed in full compliance with all FIFA technical requirements, allowing players to wear them not only during training but also during official matches.

Special design compliant with FIFA requirements

"When the Prime Minister presented these bracelets to us, all aspects were considered so that we could use them on the pitch. It features the names of all players along with Diogo Jota's name specially inscribed. We accepted this with great affection and decided to wear them throughout the entire tournament," said Vitinha.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martínez also spoke about the impact of Diogo Jota's legacy on the team's morale. The coach believes that the memory of the former Liverpool forward provides the team with extra strength and responsibility in difficult situations. During his career, Jota played 49 matches for the national team and scored 14 goals.

"Diogo serves as a beacon for us. His dream was to win trophies with Portugal, which he achieved in the Nations League. Now we have the responsibility to fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion. He was a symbol of willpower who could find solutions in any difficult situation," emphasized Roberto Martínez.

The Portugal national team will play its first group stage match of the 2026 World Cup next week against the DR Congo national team. Led by Cristiano Ronaldo, the team aims to fight with all their might in this tournament, not only for victory but also in memory of their close friend.