Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves was visibly overcome with emotion during a moment of silence held in memory of Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025, alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in a fatal car crash in Spain.
The tribute took place just before Al-Hilal’s FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final match against Fluminense, where Neves was named in the starting lineup. His Portugal teammate Joao Cancelo also featured in the match, and both players struggled to hold back tears while standing on the pitch as grief weighed heavily on them.
The death of Jota, aged 28, has left the football world stunned. The Liverpool and Portugal forward was traveling back to the UK to report for preseason training when the Lamborghini he was in suffered a burst tire and veered off the road. The crash claimed both his and his brother’s lives instantly.
Jota had recently celebrated Liverpool’s Premier League title win on May 25 and lifted the UEFA Nations League with Portugal just two weeks prior, making the loss even more painful for teammates and fans alike.
Al-Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged the emotional toll on the players, noting that the tragic news has been especially difficult for Neves and Cancelo, who shared close bonds with Jota both on and off the pitch.
“We all know it’s a very sad day because of what happened to Diogo and André,” Inzaghi said. “These things should never happen. We’re all aware of the tragedy.
“We have two Portugal players Rúben Neves and João Cancelo who were friends to them. Today has been a very difficult day for all of us. We tried to work in the same way but the atmosphere was different. It’s a very, very sad tragedy.”
Watch the video below;
Las lagrimas de Joao Cancelo y Rúben Neves al minuto de silencio en memoria a Diogo Jota y su hermano durante el partido de Fluminense vs. Al Hilal
….. El DOLOR por la PERDIDA de UN AMIGO.El futbol DEBE CONTINUAR💔 pic.twitter.com/EbCED46Tqd
— Claudia villegas (@Clauudvillegas) July 4, 2025