Lisbon (AP) – Portuguese midfielder Reuben Neves has revealed a tattoo on the calf on his left in honor of the former Liverpool striker who passed away during a national team match, wearing the 21st jersey of his friend Diogo Jota, who died during a national team match.
“Me and the whole national team will do everything we can to keep Diogo here with our team,” Neves said late Tuesday at a ceremony at a Portuguese training base held prior to the team’s World Cup qualifiers against Armenia and Hungary.
It’s Portugal’s first match since then Jota and his brother Andre Silva’s death in a car accident July 3rd.
Neves, who plays for Al Giral in Saudi Arabia, was very close to Jota – they played together with British club Wolverhampton for Portugal, talking about his former teammates on behalf of the Portuguese squad.
Portugal Federation I posted a video No. 21 with Neves X with a tattoo showing him hugging Jota wearing a jersey.
Tuesday’s ceremony was also a homage to former Portugal’s international Jorge Costa He passed away last month from cardiac arrest.
Pedro Proenza of the Portuguese Football Federation described Jota and Costa as “someone who loved football, country, national teams, men who defended the colour of our flag with courage and dedication.”
Jota and Costa were awarded posthumously as commanders of the Medal of Merit and received medals accepted by their families.
The federation said the team is made up of “23 (+1)” players.
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