When Portugal defeated Croatia in a thrilling World Cup match in Toronto, they were playing for more than a place in the next round. They were playing in memory of Diogo Jota.
At the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo led his teammates to the Portugal supporters, where they stood together beneath a sea of shirts bearing Jota's No. 21.
The emotional gesture was a powerful tribute to a player who meant so much to the national team and whose memory has inspired Portugal throughout the tournament.
Jota, 28, and his brother, Andre Silva, died in a car crash in northwestern Spain on July 3 last year after their Lamborghini veered off the road and caught fire. Their deaths plunged Portugal into mourning and sent shockwaves through the football world.
Jota's close friend Ruben Neves, the Portugal midfielder, now wears No. 21 for the national team. He kissed a wristband bearing the Liverpool forward's name during the national anthem, after which Jota's image was displayed on the stadium's big screen, drawing cheers from every corner of the venue.
