Diogo Jota’s widow shares touching wedding speech on first anniversary
The widow of former Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota has shared his moving wedding speech to mark their first anniversary, nearly a year after his tragic death in a car crash.
Rute Cardoso posted the touching footage of her late husband exactly one year after the childhood sweethearts tied the knot on 22 June 2025.
Less than two weeks after that joyous ceremony, the beloved attacker and his brother, Andre Silva, lost their lives in a road accident in Zamora, Spain.
“Where the future takes us, maybe there’s someone here who knows better than I do,” Jota said in the footage.
“But the truth is, I don’t know and it doesn’t really matter to me as long as I’m with you. I love you forever, my ‘Branquinha’.”
Portugal honour legacy at World Cup
The memory of the Portuguese international remains a powerful presence for his former team-mates at the 2026 World Cup.
Roberto Martinez’s squad are wearing special commemorative wristbands throughout the global tournament.
Presented by the country’s Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, the bands feature the names of the 26-man roster alongside the late Anfield star’s name.
Paris St-Germain midfielder Vitinha explained that the players chose to wear the tribute on the pitch during competitive matches.
“He let us choose if we wanted to use it or not, how we use it, during the day or during the match,” Vitinha explained.
“We received it with a lot of affection and we chose to use it.”
A lasting impact on the national team
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes also paid tribute to his former colleague ahead of their opening fixture.
“He was a great team-mate, very down to earth and a great person for the country,” stated Fernandes.
“He’s still part of our group – and always will be. So will his brother be, too. He will also be in our memories.”
On the pitch, the Selecao opened their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Joao Neves opened the scoring before Yoane Wissa headed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
Martinez’s men will now be looking for a vital win when they face Uzbekistan in their second group game on Tuesday.
