Firefox translate (I have not made any corrections to mistaken translations)
Arne Slot, a year after drama around Diogo Jota: ‘It’s very emotional to see how Portugal honors him’
The match between Portugal and Croatia is a duel that will evoke emotions. In Toronto, local kick-off will be done on July 2, but due to the time difference, it will soon be past midnight in Portugal and therefore exactly one year after the fatal accident of Diogo Jota. From his holiday address, Arne Slot, then coach of Jota, lives with him.
The players of Portugal did not leave this World Cup unused for a moment to honor their deceased teammate. The cruel way in which the attacker died exactly a year ago in a car accident in Spain together with his younger brother André Silva, will constantly hang over the match against Croatia.
Jota, at the time barely eleven days married to his childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso, left behind three young children.
,These kinds of moments remind you that football is never the most important thing’’, says Arne Slot, who will follow the match in front of the television. ,As a trainer, you spend so much time thinking about training, matches and results, but something like that puts everything directly into perspective. My thoughts are with Diogo, his wife Rute and the children, his parents, his family and friends and everyone who loved him. We all miss him greatly.”
In the dressing room of coach Roberto Martínez, the name of the deceased attacker is never far away. Widow Rute Cardoso is present in the stadiums this tournament to support the team, where the players have been trying to guide her through the horrible period for a year. As good and as evil as it can be. The unprecedented togetherness in the Portuguese camp is visible from miles away.
Memorial wristbands at World CupThe entire World Cup already refuses to speak to the players and the coach of a selection of 26 players. Roberto Martínez invariably emphasizes that he has taken ‘the plus one’. Jota is the 27th player for the coach and the player group.
This symbolism has been made visible by the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luis Montenegro, who handed the players special commemorative wristbands prior to the tournament. On the rubber are the names of all World Cup goers, closed with those of Diogo Jota.
Slot is thinking about last summer these days. He enjoyed his last days of vacation when he was briefed on the fatal news about his forward. Asked about the anniversary of his former player’s death and the shadow this throws over the football summer, Slot carefully weighs his words. He remembers a player who never put himself above the group.
When I think of the person he was, I always come back to the same things. He always put the team first. He got along well with everyone, regardless of their role, and he had a special way of making people feel like they were appreciated. Those qualities earned him the respect of everyone around him and they are the reason we miss him so much. He will always be remembered with a lot of warmth. That is the legacy he leaves behind.”
Slot looks from a distance at the way his player is honored on the global stage. The connection that Jota created during his lifetime now lives on in the rituals of the national team, as was the case with Liverpool.
“It is very emotional to see how Portugal honors Diogo,” Slot said, referring to the wristbands. “Wearing those bracelets is a beautiful gesture. It reflects how much respect and affection everyone had for him. He wasn’t just a great player; he was someone who brought people together. He cared about the group, always put the team first and made everyone around him feel important.”
“Seeing how his teammates carry his memory on the field is a fitting tribute. I hope it reminds people of the kind of person he was, just as much as the player he became.”
In Toronto tonight, tears will flow with the Portuguese players and supporters. The squad says it will give everything for Diogo Jota, their extra player, all the tournament. Rúben Neves wears the number 21 of Jota as a tribute. Midfielder Vitinha also made it very clear this week that the death anniversary of Jota is emphatically in the minds of the players.
“We have all the motivation of the world and much more to win. For Diogo Jota.”