Ronaldo Explains Why He Missed Diogo Jota’s Funeral

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence on why he did not attend the funeral of late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, offering two personal reasons for his absence after facing backlash from fans and pundits across Europe.

Ronaldo and Jota were former teammates with the Portugal national team, and their relationship had long been regarded as warm and respectful. Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, tragically lost their lives in a car accident in July, a development that PulseNets learnt sent shockwaves through the football world.

Several Portuguese internationals were present at the funeral, and Ronaldo’s absence quickly became a talking point, with critics accusing him of being insensitive. However, the 40-year-old has now addressed the issue during an interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, explaining the deeply personal factors behind his decision.

According to Ronaldo, “There are two things.”

He continued, “People criticise me a lot, and I don’t care about that because when your conscience is clean, you don’t need to worry about what people say. One thing I stopped doing after my father died is going to cemeteries.”

The Al-Nassr star further noted that his global profile would have shifted attention away from the grieving family, adding, “Secondly, you know me and my reputation; wherever I go, it becomes a circus. I didn’t go to Jota’s funeral because the attention would be on me, and I don’t want that.”

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Ronaldo maintained that he stands firmly by his choice, insisting that his intentions were sincere. “People can continue to criticise me, but I felt good with my decision,” he told PulseNets.

The superstar’s remarks have sparked fresh debate online, as fans weigh his emotional explanation against the expectations placed on global football icons.