Xplorich
Portugal’s FIFA World Cup campaign enters its knockout phase with emotions running high, as Roberto Martinez’s side prepare to face Croatia in the Round of 32 on Thursday in Toronto.Beyond the pursuit of a place in the last 16, Portugal will carry an added sense of purpose. By the time kick-off arrives in Canada, it will already be July 3 in Portugal, marking one year since Diogo Jota and his younger brother André Silva tragically lost their lives in a car accident in western Spain.The anniversary has brought back memories of a loss that stunned the footballing world. Jota was 28 when he died, while Silva was 25. Although both were recognised for their football careers, those closest to them have often spoken about the impact they made beyond the game.Silva played as an attacking midfielder for Portuguese second-division club Penafiel and had graduated with a business management degree in 2025. Jota, meanwhile, had established himself as one of Portugal’s key forwards and had celebrated winning the Premier League with Liverpool. Just 11 days before the accident, he had married his childhood sweetheart, Rute Cardoso. He also left behind three children.Jota was part of the Portugal squad that lifted the UEFA Nations League title in June 2025, and his next ambition was to help the national team challenge for the World Cup. Although he never got the opportunity to fulfil that dream, Martinez says his memory continues to inspire the entire squad.“I think we need to honor Diogo Jota,” Martinez said after Portugal’s goalless draw against Colombia on Saturday.“I think it’s a moment to cherish that everything we started in this team started with him. We won the Nations League with him. He’s probably the sign and the light of the biggest stimulation that we have. We want to win the World Cup for him.”Portugal’s route to the knockout stage has not been straightforward. After opening their campaign with a victory over Uzbekistan, Roberto Martinez’s side were held to a goalless draw by DR Congo before another 0-0 stalemate against Colombia. Those results were enough to see Cristiano Ronaldo‘s team scrape into the Round of 32, where they will now face Luka Modric‘s Croatia at Toronto Stadium.Victory would keep Portugal’s World Cup hopes alive, but it would also carry deeper significance. On the first anniversary of Jota’s passing, advancing in the tournament would represent another step towards fulfilling the dream the former Liverpool forward never had the chance to realise, with the squad determined to honour his memory on football’s biggest stage.
