HOUSTON: Portugal players paid tribute to their late former team-mate Diogo Jota during their FIFA World Cup 2026 opening match against DR Congo at Houston Stadium on Wednesday.
Jota was a hugely popular member of the Portugal squad. His 49th appearance in the 2025 Nations League final proved to be a final one for his country as he died four weeks later, alongside his brother Andre Silva, in a car crash in Spain.
The commemorative wristbands, a gift from Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, carry the names of all squad members, along with Jota’s.
Before the match, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez confirmed that the players want to honor Jota’s memory.
“Diogo Jota’s spirit, strength, and example are the plus one and will always be the plus one,” he said.
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If Portugal top the group, they will play their round of 32 match on the first anniversary of Jota’s death, which would make it an emotional occasion for the squad.
A few weeks ago, midfielder Vitinha revealed the notion behind wearing special wristbands.
“Basically, the story of the wristband is, when we went to meet with the Prime Minister, he offered us this wristband,” Vitinha told reporters.
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“They made sure that it was a wristband that we could wear on the pitch. It has all the specifics for us to be able to enter the pitch with it, with the name of all the players plus the special name of Diogo Jota.”
He said the players were given the freedom to decide whether to wear the wristbands and how to use them.
“He let us choose if we wanted to use it or not, how (we use it), during the day or during the match. We received it with a lot of affection and we chose to use it.”
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