REVEALED; Why Christiano Ronaldo did not attend Diogo Jota’s funeral in Portugal

REVEALED; Why Christiano Ronaldo did not attend Diogo Jota’s funeral in Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, has shed light on her brother’s notable absence from the funeral of former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota this past weekend.

Ronaldo’s non-attendance at the ceremony, held at the Igreja Matriz church in Gondomar on Saturday, sparked significant criticism and outrage among football fans in his native Portugal, many of whom expected the national captain to pay his respects.

Aveiro, however, suggested that Ronaldo deliberately stayed away to prevent a media circus that could have overshadowed the solemn event.

She implied that his presence would have drawn excessive media attention, potentially disrupting the dignity of the funeral proceedings.

Furthermore, Aveiro took aim at those criticizing her brother, accusing them of misplaced priorities. She argued that the focus should be on the tragic loss of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre, rather than on Ronaldo’s attendance.

In an Instagram story, she drew a parallel to her own experience with Ronaldo when they lost their father in 2005, implying a personal understanding of the sensitivities surrounding such private moments.

“When my father died. In addition to the pain of loss we had to deal with a flood of cameras and curious onlookers at the cemetery and everywhere we went.

“And attention wasn’t what it is today in terms of access… At no time were we [Aveiro and her siblings] able to leave the chapel, it was only possible at the time of the burial, such was the commotion,” Aveiro posted on Instagram (via Daily Mirror).

“At the funeral, there were presidents, coaches of the national team at the time, such as Luís Filipe Scolari, etc. I don’t remember seeing any of them. And they certainly greeted me. The pain blinded me.

“About pain/family and real support… You will never know what it means until you go through it. If someone sends me a message criticising anything my brother does, I’ll block it, that’s, they’ll only do it once. It’s getting tiring. The fanaticism.

“It’s absurdly shameful to watch TV channels/commentators/social networks emphasising an absence rather than respectfully honouring the pain of a mutilated family destroyed by the loss of two brothers. I’m even ashamed to watch. Regrettable.”