Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves has revealed he continues to send messages to the late Diogo Jota in a WhatsApp group, almost a year after the former Liverpool forward tragically died in a car crash.
Jota was killed at the age of 28 on 3 July 2025 when his vehicle crashed in the Spanish province of Zamora following a tyre blowout.
The devastating accident also claimed the life of his brother, Andre Silva, leaving the football community in mourning.
Speaking to Portuguese television network SIC, Neves explained how he uses an archived chat to cope with the immense grief of losing a close friend.
Coping with a devastating loss
The 29-year-old shared a dressing room with the attacker at Porto and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as on the international stage.
“I still talk to him,” Neves told the Alta Definição programme.
“We have a WhatsApp group with Rute and Diogo, and it’s still there, and we continue to talk there.”
“Whenever something special happens, I have the conversations archived on my WhatsApp so I can continue to send him messages.”
The Portuguese international described the morning after learning of the tragic news as the most difficult day of his life.
Honouring a fallen team-mate
The poignant admission comes as Roberto Martinez’s national squad prepare to honour their departed colleague at this summer’s World Cup in North America.
Players are wearing commemorative wristbands featuring the names of the 26-man squad alongside the beloved forward.
Portugal Prime Minister Luis Montenegro personally presented the tributes to the team prior to the tournament.
Paris St-Germain midfielder Vitinha recently highlighted the emotional significance of the gesture ahead of a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A heartbreaking anniversary
The painful milestone arrives shortly after Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, marked what would have been their first wedding anniversary.
The couple married on 22 June last year after more than a decade together, welcoming three children before the tragedy struck.
Taking to Instagram, Cardoso shared moving footage of the wedding speech delivered by her late husband.
“Where the future takes us, maybe there’s someone here who knows better than I do,” the former Reds attacker said in the video.
“But the truth is, I don’t know and it doesn’t really matter to me as long as I’m with you.”
A series of controversial Video Assistant Referee decisions at the World Cup has left supporters and managers questioning the consistency of the technology.
Following a week of highly debated incidents, fans appear increasingly bewildered about when officials will intervene in matches.
Contentious moments involving Ghana, Brazil, and Germany have made it difficult to predict the exact threshold for video reviews at this tournament.
Premier League comparisons and statistical trends
Statistical data reveals that the review system at the international showpiece is currently operating at similar frequencies to the English top flight.
The World Cup averages 0.28 interventions per game, sitting marginally lower than the 0.29 seen in England last season.
When assessing subjective interventions where the on-field official consults the pitch-side monitor, the global tournament stands at 0.17 per match compared to the Premier League’s 0.15.
Pierluigi Collina, Fifa’s head of referees, wants to encourage free-flowing football and acknowledges that not all contact constitutes a foul in a physical sport.
The struggle for a consistent threshold
Allowing stronger challenges to go unpunished forces the technology to adjust its parameters, making the sweet spot for identifying a clear and obvious error much harder to find.
European club competitions operate with a significantly lower threshold for interference, meaning officials intervene far more frequently to create an illusion of consistency.
The Champions League averages 0.47 interventions per game, utilising a strict interpretation of handball rules that leaves little room for subjectivity.
High-profile incidents spark managerial frustration
Controversy peaked on Tuesday when Ghana were denied a penalty following Ezri Konsa’s clumsy challenge on Prince Kwabena Adu during a goalless draw with England.
“VAR went for a coffee.”
That was the scathing verdict delivered by the African nation’s coach, Carlo Queiroz, after the surprising decision not to review the tackle.
Just 24 hours later, the high bar for intervention appeared drastically lowered when Brazil had a strike ruled out against Scotland.
Subjective calls continue to divide opinion
Vinicius Jr was penalised for an alleged foul on Jack Hendry in a 3-0 victory, though replays suggested the Scottish defender had actually kicked the South American attacker.
“I think Scotland are a little fortunate to be honest. There is a little contact before the ball is played but I don’t really feel that it’s a foul.”
Former tournament assistant referee Darren Cann expressed his surprise at the disallowed goal during BBC’s Match of the Day broadcast.
The inconsistencies continued on Thursday when Leroy Sane’s early effort for Germany was allowed to stand in a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador.
Alexandar Pavlovic clearly caught Pedro Vite in the head with a high boot during the build-up, yet the goal remained valid despite the seemingly obvious infringement.
Liverpool have launched an £87m bid for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande as they look to secure a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.
The 19-year-old Ivory Coast international is reportedly keen on a move to Anfield following an outstanding breakthrough season in Germany.
The Premier League side are expected to intensify their negotiations over the coming weeks to reach a compromise regarding the final transfer fee.
Gap in valuation
Reports suggest the Bundesliga outfit are holding out for a fee in the region of £112m for their prized asset.
However, the Merseyside club are hoping to strike a deal closer to the £86m mark and have now formalised their interest with an initial £87m approach.
Negotiations must find a middle ground if the lightning-fast attacker is to join Víctor Muñoz as part of Andoni Iraola’s revamped squad.
The Reds are preparing for another summer of heavy investment following a disappointing campaign that resulted in the departure of Arne Slot.
‘Extraordinary’ consistency
The teenage sensation enjoyed a stellar domestic campaign, registering 13 goals and 10 assists during his first full year in professional football.
His global reputation was further enhanced by a string of dazzling performances for his country at the recent World Cup in North America.
Ole Werner, his former manager at Leipzig, was quick to highlight the youngster’s remarkable maturity on the pitch.
“The consistency he’s shown has been extraordinary for his age, and the fact that it’s his first full year in professional football.”
“Yan’s a really important player for us, an excellent player who everyone here enjoys working with.”
While Leipzig are eager to retain the forward for their upcoming Champions League campaign, Werner conceded that outside interest was inevitable.
“If the coach could decide, then of course Yan would be playing here next year, but the summer will show how things progress.”
The highly rated forward remains under contract in Germany, but a move to English football now appears increasingly likely.
Former Barcelona youth coach Alex Garcia has detailed the extraordinary early impact of a young Lionel Messi at the club’s La Masia academy during the early 2000s.
The global popularity of football demands an almost freakish combination of skill and mental strength from an early age to succeed professionally.
Modern superstars such as the Inter Miami captain and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham demonstrated this prodigal ability long before their senior debuts.
Bellingham is currently competing at his fourth major tournament with England, while the Argentine forward prepares for future international bids.
Emerging talent at La Masia
The legendary attacker’s exploits in the Catalan club’s youth teams have taken on an almost mythic quality over the past two decades.
Grainy video footage from the early 2000s shows a fleet-footed, wispy forward effortlessly terrorising opposition defenders.
Word of a prophetically talented boy from Rosario quickly spread within the Spanish giant’s coaching ranks.
The hype eventually reached Garcia, who was managing the Under-16 side while Tito Vilanova took charge of the Under-15s.
Exceptional speed and one-on-one ability
Garcia coached a golden generation of talent that included future World Cup winners Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas.
However, the Spanish tactician still vividly remembers watching the diminutive South American leave defenders in his wake.
“The first time I saw Messi was when I was coach of Barcelona’s Cadete A team.”
Alex Garcia
“He told me that there was a little Argentine player who played very well and who understood the game like few others.”
Alex Garcia
Vilanova’s recommendation prompted Garcia to stay behind after his own sessions specifically to watch the young prodigy play.
A glimpse of future greatness
The developmental coach noted that the attacker’s ability to drive with the ball was highly abnormal for his age group.
“What made the difference at that age was that he went like nobody else in one-on-ones with tremendous speed.”
Alex Garcia
“It wasn’t normal, the speed with which he drove the ball.”
Alex Garcia
This foundational dribbling skill remained a constant throughout a legendary professional career that saw him become a living deity for many supporters.
The former Parisian only improved as the years went by, translating his youth dominance directly into elite senior success.
Algeria and Austria will meet in a decisive 2026 World Cup group stage match, 44 years after a notorious controversy between the European side and West Germany eliminated the North Africans.
Both nations are currently tied on three points in Group J behind reigning champions Argentina.
Their upcoming clash will determine who claims second place and advances to the tournament’s round of 32.
However, the runner-up is widely expected to face a formidable Spanish side in the knockout stages.
Echoes of a Spanish scandal
This encounter carries immense historical weight for the Desert Foxes.
During the 1982 tournament in Spain, the North African team suffered a heartbreaking group-stage exit following the “Disgrace of Gijón”.
Algeria had previously shocked the footballing world by defeating 1974 winners West Germany 2-1 on their competition debut.
Despite securing another victory against Chile, their progression relied on the final fixture between their European group rivals.
A match that changed football
West Germany and Austria ultimately played out a mutually beneficial 1-0 result that controversially eliminated the African debutants.
Horst Hrubesch scored an early opener before both teams effectively stopped competing, knowing the scoreline sent them both through.
That scandalous fixture fundamentally altered how international football tournaments operate.
Governing body Fifa subsequently mandated that all final group matches must kick off simultaneously to prevent similar collusion.
Modern stakes and familiar foes
More than four decades later, the modern iteration of the competition brings these two nations together with qualification on the line once more.
Group leaders Argentina are heavily favoured to maintain their perfect record against an already eliminated Jordan side.
This leaves the pivotal second qualification spot entirely up for grabs in a fixture charged with decades of sporting resentment.
An investigation into Argentina’s youth football system has uncovered widespread exploitation, exposing severe neglect and abuse of young players hoping to become professional athletes.
The deep-dive report highlights distressing living conditions and systemic failures across the nation that produced the reigning World Cup champions.
Authorities recently raided an unlicensed boarding house in Buenos Aires, finding three dozen boys living in squalid and overcrowded conditions.
The property on Gallardo Street housed aspiring professionals aged between 12 and their early twenties.
Inhumane living conditions
Police and social workers discovered darkened rooms, mouldering laundry and windows taped over with newspaper.
The facility was run by an unregistered guardian known locally as ‘El Zurdo’, who claimed to be a father figure to the children.
Despite an official eviction notice being served following the raid, subsequent visits confirmed the property remains operational.
Systemic exploitation and neglect
Family members of young prospects have detailed horrific experiences within the South American nation’s development network.
One mother revealed her child was forced to survive on chicken carcasses and bug-infested rice.
Another parent shared an audio recording exposing a club owner’s refusal to report a coach accused of molesting her son.
“This happens everywhere. I’ve seen this on five different teams.”
Echoes of past scandals
These latest revelations follow a major scandal that shook Argentine sport in March 2018.
Top-tier club Independiente previously disclosed that several men had sexually assaulted academy prospects at their official dormitory.
The intense passion for the sport in the country has created a vulnerable underworld of young people entrusted to unvetted adults.
Many of these vulnerable teenagers endure the harsh reality in silence, desperate to emulate national heroes like Lionel Messi.
Liverpool have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha in a potential £104m summer deal following his impressive World Cup performances.
New manager Andoni Iraola is reportedly keen to bolster his squad ahead of the upcoming campaign after replacing Arne Slot at Anfield.
The Merseyside club face stiff competition for the 25-year-old, with Manchester United stepping up their interest according to Sky Sports Germany.
Manchester City and Real Madrid are also monitoring the Germany international as his reputation continues to grow on the global stage.
Dortmund demand record-breaking fee
Securing the versatile playmaker will not come cheap, with German outlet Bild reporting a valuation of £104m.
Such an exorbitant fee would make him the third most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history.
The Reds have shown a willingness to spend heavily in recent windows, having previously secured Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak for club-record sums.
Dortmund’s prized asset is currently shining at the World Cup, having already registered a goal and two assists during the group stages.
Midfield overhaul on the agenda
Capable of operating in both central and defensive midfield roles, the sought-after talent would offer significant tactical flexibility.
His arrival could coincide with the departure of Alexis Mac Allister, whose future at the club remains increasingly uncertain following an underwhelming season.
Crystal Palace prospect Adam Wharton is also understood to be on the radar as part of the extensive midfield rebuild.
However, matching Dortmund’s asking price could restrict funds for other critical areas, including the search for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah.
The club have already seen an initial £86.2m proposal rejected for prime attacking target Yan Diomande as they look to strengthen out wide.
South Korean football fans have launched a formal petition demanding the immediate dismissal of manager Hong Myung-bo after a dismal World Cup group stage campaign left the nation on the brink of elimination.
The Asian nation suffered a damaging 1-0 defeat to South Africa in their final group fixture.
That result followed a loss to co-hosts Mexico and an opening victory over the Czech Republic, leaving the squad with just three points.
They now face an anxious wait to see if they can progress to the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams.
Fans question appointment process
Supporters have directed their anger not just at the on-pitch performances, but at the Korea Football Association hierarchy.
A newly created petition argues that official selection processes were deliberately bypassed when the current head coach was hired.
“The Korea Football Association’s official selection process was effectively ignored, making it difficult to avoid criticism that the appointment was fundamentally illegitimate.”
“Despite fielding what many considered the strongest squad in Korea’s World Cup history, the team finished with one win and two losses, placing third in the group.”
National Assembly intervention sought
The disgruntled fan base is also demanding a sweeping administrative reform of the national governing body.
Having secured the initial 100 endorsements required, the petition is currently being considered for public release by the National Assembly.
If published and able to amass 50,000 signatures within 30 days, the motion will be referred to a national standing committee for official review.
Manager cites psychological burden
Speaking after the decisive loss to South Africa, the embattled manager suggested his players had succumbed to intense external expectations.
“The players seemed to carry a significant psychological burden to secure a win,” Hong stated.
He added that the disjointed display was likely caused by a combination of mental fatigue and extreme environmental heat.