Diogo Jota’s No. 21 jersey with Portugal will be inherited by the late forward’s longtime friend and teammate Rúben Neves, head coach Robert Martinez said Friday.
Martinez was speaking as he announced his first Portugal squad since the former Liverpool and Portugal star was killed alongside his brother André Silva in a car crash in northern Spain on July 3.
“This is the first working camp without Diogo Jota,” Martinez said. “We know what Diogo meant to each of us, the impact he had on our lives. We want to honour his memory every day.
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“He will be with us and be another force in achieving our goals. Diogo Jota’s example is a light for us. We will carry his spirit in our hearts. We will win for Diogo, for his brother André, and as always, for all Portuguese people.
“In this new journey to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, the number of players is 23 + 1, which is Diogo.”
Neves, one of Jota’s closest friends after years spent together in Portugal national teams and with club sides FC Porto and Wolves, was a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral. Jota’s last appearance for Portugal came in the team’s victory over Spain in the Nations League final in June.
“I think Diogo’s absence is a sign of unity, motivation, and responsibility, because Diogo wanted to win the World Cup,” Martinez added. “So we’re here to fight and do everything we can to achieve our dream. I can also report that Diogo Jota’s jersey number, 21, is now being passed on to Ruben Neves, and so it remains with all of us on the pitch.”
Following Jota’s death, Neves wrote a touching tribute on Instagram.
“When I go to the national team, you’ll still be by my side at the dinner table, on the bus, on the plane… you’ll always be there with me, as usual. We’ll keep laughing, making plans, sharing our lives with each other,” he said.
Like Martinez, Neves has also expressed his determination to win Portugal’s first World Cup title to honour Jota.
Portugal begin their quest to qualify for next year’s World Cup in North America with qualifiers against Armenia and Hungary on Sept. 6 and 9, respectively. Martinez’s squad included 40-year-old star Cristiano Ronaldo and his new Al Nassr teammate João Félix.
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