Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence On Not Attending Diogo Jota's Funeral: 'After My Father Died...'

Cristiano Ronaldo Addresses Absence from Diogo Jota's Funeral

Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo was noticeably absent from the funeral of his late Portugal teammate Diogo Jota earlier this year after the tragic accident that took the football world by storm.

Explanation for Skipping the Funeral

In a detailed interview with Piers Morgan, the 40-year-old striker explained his decision, stating he has not visited a cemetery since the death of his own father and wanted to avoid turning the funeral into a spectacle.

“Two things; people criticise me a lot. I don’t care about that. When your conscience is good and free, you don’t have to worry about what people say. But one of the things I don’t do? After my father died, I have never been to a cemetery again. When you know me and you know my reputation? Wherever I go, it is a circus. I don’t go out because, if I go, the attention goes to me. I don’t want this sort of attention.”

Reflections on Public Attention

Ronaldo emphasized his discomfort with the public scrutiny during sensitive moments, rejecting interviews or football discussions in such times to avoid turning grief into a public spectacle.

“I don’t like it when you go to a sensitive moment to do interviews, to speak about him, to speak about football. This shows how a circus is life, sometimes. If you want to be a part of this world, good luck, but I will be a part of another side. People can continue to criticise.”

Background

Author's summary: Cristiano Ronaldo explained his absence from Diogo Jota’s funeral by sharing his personal grief style and unwillingness to attract public attention during sensitive times.

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News18 News18 — 2025-11-08

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