Players of Portugal and Armenia observed a minute’s silence ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier in honour of former Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva.
Jota and Silva had passed away in a tragic car accident in Spain in July. This is Portugal’s first international match since Jota’s passing. The former Liverpool forward was also part of the Portugal squad that won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Ahead of the match, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez announced a ‘23 plus one’-member squad for this set of FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Armenia and Hungary.
Martinez said that an extra spot was left vacant in the squad for striker Diogo Jota, who passed away in July in a road accident.
“This is the first training camp without Diogo Jota. We know what he meant to each of us. We want to honour his memory every day,” Martinez said.
“We will carry his spirit in our hearts. We will win for Diogo, for his brother André, as we always do for all Portuguese people. We will call up 23+1.”
Published on Sep 06, 2025
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com