What happened to Diogo Jota? Portugal players honor late teammate at World Cup

Diogo Jota’s death remains at the center of Portugal’s emotional response after their hard-fought 2-1 win over Croatia at the World Cup round of 32, as players honored the late striker while looking ahead to Spain. The victory came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Jota’s fatal car crash on July 3, 2025, in which he died at 28. The BBC reported that Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva were driving a yellow Lamborghini, blew out a tire while trying to overtake, left the road, and the car caught fire. Jota made 49 international appearances for Portugal and won the UEFA Nations League twice. He had joined Liverpool in 2020, scoring 65 goals in 182 appearances. During the 2026 World Cup, Portugal players wore bracelets for him, with parents attending the opening match in Houston.