Cristiano Ronaldo's Sister Explains Why He Did Not Attend Diogo Jota's Funeral
- Ronaldo was noticeably missing from the joint ceremony held for Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, who tragically lost their lives in a car accident
- Cristiano Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, has come to his defence amid backlash over his absence from Diogo Jota’s funeral
- Known for publicly supporting her brother, Katia has now shared a deeply personal explanation behind Ronaldo’s decision not to attend the funeral
Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, has explained why the Portugal captain was absent from Diogo Jota’s funeral following the Liverpool star's tragic passing.
Jota and his brother Andre Silva lost their lives in a car accident on July 3.
Source: Instagram
The funeral service was held on Saturday near Jota’s hometown of Porto and was attended by many of his teammates and coaches.
Ronaldo, currently playing for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr but in an off-season holiday, did not travel back to Portugal for the ceremony, sparking criticism from some quarters.
However, his decision to stay away was reportedly made as a mark of respect, with concerns that his presence would overshadow the somber occasion.
Why Ronaldo chose to skip the Jota's funeral
While Ronaldo was spotted vacationing in Majorca, it is understood he personally reached out to Jota's parents and Liverpool teammate Diogo Cardoso before the service.
According to reports, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner expressed that it was better for him not to attend, fearing that his arrival would attract significant media attention and shift the focus away from mourning the two brothers.
Source: Getty Images
As one of the most recognisable athletes in the world, Ronaldo's appearances tend to cause a media frenzy, and he reportedly wanted to avoid turning the funeral into what he described as a "media circus."
Katia Aveiro defends Ronaldo
In response to public criticism, Ronaldo's sister Katia Aveiro passionately defended him on social media.
Drawing from her own personal experience, she shared emotional messages via Instagram Stories to explain the reasoning behind Ronaldo’s decision.
Katia wrote:
"When my father died, in addition to the pain of loss, we had to deal with a flood of cameras and curious onlookers at the cemetery and everywhere we went. And attention was not what it is today in terms of access... At no time were we (the children) able to leave the chapel; it was only possible at the time of the burial, such was the commotion, she said on Instagram and reported by Mail Sport"
She further recalled:
"At the funeral, there were presidents, coaches of the national team at the time, such as Luís Filipe Scolari, etc. I don't remember seeing any of them. And they certainly greeted me. The pain blinded me."
Katia concluded her message by addressing those criticising her brother, saying:
"About pain, family, and real support... You will never know what it means until you go through it. If someone sends me a message criticising anything my brother does, I will block it completely — they will only do it once."
Ronaldo lost his father, José Dinis Aveiro, in 2005 when he was only 20 years old and an emerging star at Manchester United.
Fans blast Ronaldo for missing Jota funeral
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Cristiano Ronaldo is facing backlash from football fans after he failed to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
