Cristiano Ronaldo's absence from funeral sparks backlash

A funeral ceremony was held in Portugal for Liverpool star footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, who lost their lives in a traffic accident in the Spanish city of Zamora.

The ceremony, held in Gondomar near Porto, was attended by Jota's family and loved ones, as well as many famous names from the football world.

However, the absence of Portugal national team captain Cristiano Ronaldo from the ceremony drew attention.

Ronaldo's absence received extensive coverage in the Spanish, Portuguese, and British press.

As criticism of the Portuguese footballer mounted on social media, various claims were put forward regarding the reasons for Ronaldo's failure to attend the funeral.

Some sources suggested that Ronaldo refrained from attending to avoid becoming the center of attention, which he felt would be disrespectful to the memory of Jota and his brother. Meanwhile, the Spanish press claimed that Ronaldo continued his vacation in Mallorca during the funeral. The British press, however, stated that Ronaldo had contacted Jota's family and asked for permission not to attend the funeral.

Ronaldo had shared a condolence message on social media on the day Jota passed away. However, this message was not enough to quell the backlash caused by his absence from the funeral.

News Source: 12punto