Portugal's victory over Croatia at the 2026 World Cup and a tribute to Diogo Jota

JAKARTA - When Portugal took to the field against Croatia in Toronto on Friday, July 3, WIB, they knew that more than just national pride was at stake.

For Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez and his players, the 2026 World Cup round of 32 is not only an opportunity to get one step closer to realizing the World Cup dream, but also an opportunity to honor the late Diogo Jota ahead of a poignant anniversary.

By the time the tournament starts in Canada, the calendar in Portugal will already show July 3, 2026 - exactly one year since Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash in western Spain.

A year after the tragedy that rocked the football world, the scale of the profound loss remains almost unimaginable. The two brothers, aged 28 and 25 respectively, were renowned for their abilities as professional footballers, but were most missed for their impact off the pitch.

Silva is an attacking midfielder for Portuguese second division club Penafiel and graduated from university with a business management degree in 2025.

Jota, a father of three, was a Premier League champion with Liverpool and married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso, just 11 days before his death.

Last summer, Arne Slot - Jota's head coach at Liverpool - described the striker as a champion in every way. That also applies on the international stage. Jota has been part of the Portugal squad that won the UEFA Conference League in June 2025.

His ambition when lifting the trophy in Germany was to link it with the 2026 World Cup. However, he was not given the opportunity to fulfill his desire to compete for the first time in the prestigious football tournament.

"I think we need to respect Diogo Jota. I think this is a moment to be appreciated, that everything we started in this team started from him."

"We won the UEFA Nations League with him. He is probably the biggest symbol and source of motivation we have. We want to win the World Cup for him," said Martinez.

This is a noble aspiration even though the ability of the Portuguese team is not convincing and gives birth to criticism. The only victory in the group stage was achieved against the Uzbekistan team which is ranked 60th in the world.

However, Jota's memories remain a rallying point, with several players choosing to wear bracelets bearing his name during the tournament.

In Portugal's opening game in the group stage against the Democratic Republic of Congo, the parents of the two brothers - Joaquim and Isabel - were present at the match, where a moving tribute was paid to Jota before the match.

Although it seemed less convincing at the beginning, Portugal slowly rose. Selecao entered the match against Croatia with a big push to present a victory that continued the journey to the 16th round of the 2026 World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal paid a moving tribute to Diogo Jota after the 2-1 win over Croatia in Toronto.

Ronaldo, who scored Portugal's opening goal in the last 32 via a penalty, wore Jota's No. 21 jersey after the final whistle and with tears in his eyes pointed to the sky as he hugged his teammates.

"We knew before the game, it was a very special moment. Today we talked, our team, about coincidences in life, it's incredible."

"I'm amazed because today's situation is very meaningful for us, not only because we won the game, but also the way we won."

"We know he is with us and today's victory is the best way to honor him," Ronaldo said.

After Ivan Perisic's opening goal for Croatia, Ronaldo equalised in the 68th minute via a penalty kick.

The goal gave the megastar his first goal in the World Cup knockout round. At the age of 41 years and 147 days, he also became the oldest player to score a goal in a World Cup knockout match.

Goncalo Ramos then gave the winning goal for Portugal with a goal in the fourth minute of injury time.

"Every day feels special because we talk (Jota) every day. He gives us strength and it is very special to win today and reach one of the most important phases of this tournament," said Ramos.

The match ended in controversy when Croatia thought they had equalised to 2-2 in the final minutes, but Mario Pasalic was ruled offside as VAR decided there was no goal.

"Regarding emotions, we always believe, we believed from the beginning. There is an additional crucial factor, namely Diogo Jota, who has always been with us and also helped us," said Portugal striker Rafael Leao.

Immortalizing Diogo Jota

Diogo Jota played 49 times for Portugal, scoring 14 goals. His story was then immortalized in a book titled "Diogo Jota, Never Again Is Too Long" written by former professional goalkeeper and leading Portuguese journalist, Jose Manuel Delgado.

The book was commissioned by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and is based on extensive interviews with the attacker's friends and family, including his wife, Rute.

"This is not a book about football, it's a book about people. I spoke to 80 or 90 people and everyone wanted to talk even though it hurt."

"Talking about Diogo hurts them, but everyone feels indebted to him to speak so that his memories can remain immortalized in this book."

"No interview is easy, but people want to help. I spoke to Rute about the importance of this book for her three children."

"We decided that this would be a really good way for them to get to know their father. It was this thought that made his family willing to undergo dozens of hours of interviews. It wasn't easy, but it shouldn't be easy," Delgado told ESPN.

In Merseyside, time has not done much to ease the pain among players and fans. Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and then scored 65 goals in 182 appearances during his five seasons at the club, earning a reputation as a potent striker in the penalty box.

That the last goal of his career was a well-taken winner against Everton in the Merseyside derby that took Liverpool three points closer to the English League title was emblematic of a player adept at contributing in big moments.

However, it was his warm and humble personality that endeared him to supporters at Anfield as well as those who shared the dressing room with him.

For senior squad members, including Jota's close friend, Andy Robertson, the burden of grief was very difficult to bear. Robertson was one of the few Liverpool players to go to Portugal for Jota's wedding in June last year.

In one of his last interviews before leaving Merseyside to join Tottenham Hotspur, the defender spoke candidly about the suffering he and his teammates continued to experience.

"We can't hide it. It's not an excuse, but what we experienced in the summer, no team will ever experience, no member of the staff will ever experience."

"I hope they never experience it because of the devastation we've been through, football doesn't matter. We didn't care about football for weeks, none of us wanted to train. That's the reality."

"You get treatment from a physiotherapist and the physiotherapist doesn't want to treat you. Do you understand what I mean? That's the reality."

"As footballers, of course we have an obligation. We have to carry on, we have to keep going and we managed to do it," Robertson said in May 2026.

Robertson also spoke with Delgado, helping paint a detailed picture of a player and a man who those who know him only have the highest praise for.

"I spoke to a lot of people at Liverpool, from Arne Slot to the players to the medical staff. They all said Diogo was very sincere."

"I think Arne Slot who said he was the glue in the locker room. He is the type of person everyone loves and he keeps the good mood in the team."

"Here, in Portugal, I didn't understand why everyone at Liverpool reacted so hard when Diogo died. However, when I went there, I understood."

"Some fans told me that Liverpool is a club that has gone through many tragedies and a club that is used to moving forward after difficult situations."

"A lot of people out there would rather spend their money watching Liverpool play. What they expect from the players is that they give everything they have."

"One person told me that if there was a Liverpool supporter good enough to play and have a place in the team, he wanted to be Diogo Jota because he is the perfect example of the Liverpool spirit."

"He gave everything for the club's uniform and the fans admire him for that. The fans told me that they didn't care that he wasn't born in Liverpool because his passion made it seem as if he was born there," said Delgado.

Of course, that spirit will always live on at Anfield, where Jota's No. 20 jersey has been retired and a permanent monument to the brothers will soon be unveiled.

However, like the famous chant of the attacker in the stands, he will also be remembered as "a young man from Portugal". Therefore, there are many supporters in Merseyside who support Jota's home team in the 2026 World Cup.

"Obviously, every day it's difficult. When you train, there are always moments where Diogo Jota comes back to our memories. So, I wouldn't say that this reminder has to be very difficult. I would say that it's a bit like a celebration," said Martinez.

When Martinez announced the 2026 World Cup squad in May, he reserved a place of honor on the list for Jota, describing the country's party heading to North America as 27 players "plus one".

When Portugal beat Croatia at the Toronto Stadium, the memory of their extra player sharpened the desire to make this summer an unforgettable summer.

Portugal will then face Spain in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, early morning WIB.