Ruben Neves rushed back to his hometown on the morning of July 5 to attend the funeral of Diogo Jota - a close friend who recently passed away after a tragic traffic accident.
The flight from the US to Portugal is less than half a day after the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals ended.
Ruben Neves appeared with red eyes. Two weeks ago, he was one of the close guests at Jota's wedding. Now, Neves is facing his best friend again.
Previously, in the early morning of the same day (Vietnam time), Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo played in the Al Hilal squad against Fluminense in the quarter-finals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He had to suppress his own pain to compete.
The match started with an emotional minute of silence. The image of Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre was shown on the big screen at Camping World Stadium. Neves burst into tears.
On social media, Neves posted a status: We are not just friends, we are family. And we won't stop just because he signed a contract a little further away. When I return to the national team, he will still be with me - for dinner, on the bus, on the plane....
For Portuguese football, Jota's departure was a shock. For Ruben Neves, it is also a pain when his most beloved brother has passed away forever.
Diogo Jota's funeral was attended by his Liverpool teammates. Captain Virgil van Dijk brought Jota's number 20 flower bracelet, while Andy Robertson held the number 30 flower bracelet - the number associated with Andre. Coach Arne Slot and many members of the coaching staff were also present, expressing deep condolences.
