Ruben Neves has shared that he regularly reaches out to his deceased friend and former colleague, Diogo Jota, via WhatsApp, nearly one year after the forward lost his life in a fatal vehicle accident. During an appearance on the television program Alta Definição, the Portuguese midfielder explained that he and Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, maintain a group chat containing Jota’s account to commemorate his memory.
Neves expressed that he keeps these conversations saved to share significant life events with his late friend. Jota, along with his brother Andre Silva, died on July 3, 2025, in a car crash in Zamora, Spain, caused by a tyre failure. Neves, who was a teammate of Jota at FC Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and on the national team, described receiving the news of his friend’s passing as the hardest moment of his existence.
The football community continues to honor Jota’s memory. Recently, midfielder Vitinha noted that the Portuguese national squad received commemorative wristbands from Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. These items feature the names of all current players alongside Jota’s name to serve as an enduring tribute. Jota represented Portugal in 49 matches, finding the net 14 times throughout his career.
