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Portugal will wear special wristbands honouring late teammate Diogo Jota at the World Cup, with Vitinha revealing the emotional tribute ahead of their opener.
Portugal’s Vitinha at the pre-WC campaign presser (AP)
Portugal will carry the memory of former teammate Diogo Jota with them when they begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign next week.
Midfielder Vitinha revealed on Saturday that the entire squad will wear commemorative wristbands in tribute to Jota, who tragically died alongside his brother in a car crash in northwestern Spain last year.
The emotional gesture came from Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, who presented the squad with specially designed wristbands during a recent meeting. Each band carries the names of every player in the Portugal squad, along with a special mention of Jota — a player whose loss continues to resonate deeply within the national team setup.
Portugal’s Tribute to Jota
“Basically, the story of the wristband is, when we went to meet with the Prime Minister, he offered us this wristband,” Vitinha told reporters.
“They made sure that it was a wristband that we could wear on the pitch. It has all the specifics for us to be able to enter the pitch with it, with the name of all the players plus the special name of Diogo Jota.
“He let us choose if we wanted to use it or not, how (we use it), during the day or during the match. We received it with a lot of affection and we chose to use it.”
Jota earned 49 caps for Portugal and scored 14 goals during his international career. While Portugal have moved forward competitively, his absence remains deeply felt among teammates and supporters alike.
Vitinha Keeps Portugal Grounded
Portugal enter the tournament as one of Europe’s strongest squads, but Vitinha was quick to dismiss any talk of favouritism ahead of their Group K opener against DR Congo.
“I wouldn’t say we’re the favourites,” he said. “We have great quality and capacity to advance far in the tournament.
“We know the right path is to be humble and play the right game. We have the talent, all we need is the technical and tactical aspects (to come together).”
The midfielder also acknowledged the unique challenge posed by a World Cup spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“With varying temperatures in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, it is very difficult. But it is the World Cup and there are no excuses.”
A Dream Still to Fulfil
Fresh from winning back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles with Paris Saint-Germain, Vitinha admitted there remains one achievement above all others.
“It’s always been a dream,” he said. “I’ve achieved many great things. I want to achieve winning this title as well.”
(with Reuters inputs)
About the Author
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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