Ruben Neves honours Diogo Jota in touching tribute after scoring first Portugal goal

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It has been three months since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota.The Liverpool star tragically lost his life in a car accident in July alongside his brother Andre Silva as the city and the footballing world came together to express their grief and shock.Throughout the months since the sad loss of the Reds’ forever No. 20, there have been some brilliant tributes from the fans at Anfield and clubs around the world.Arne Slot recently thanked Everto for their Jota tribute when they laid a wreath at his memorial outside the ground, and rounds of applause on the 20th minute of each game have been a fixture for Liverpool supporters this season.What showed from the outpouring of footballers across the world was just how much he was loved by all who met him, and that is the mark of an amazing person.Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesRuben Neves celebrates first Portugal goal in Diogo Jota’s old numberThis is what makes the Ruben Neves celebration last night all the more poignant, as he scored his first Portugal goal in a 1-0 against the Republic of Ireland, which he celebrated with his late friend in mind.The Al Hilal player was best friends with his Portuguese compatriot, and since the tragic passing, he has been supporting Jota’s family and remembering him at every opportunity on the world stage.READ MORE: What Portugal’s fans did to remember Liverpool’s Diogo Jota in their 3-2 win v HungarySo when he was able to score a late winner against the Irish team in the 91st minute, it was beautiful to see him do a celebration in memory of his great friend.Rúben Neves' first Portugal goal was a 91st-minute winner against Ireland.

Then he made sure the world could see his tattoo for Diogo Jota 🤍 pic.twitter.com/YNJX9TPXLI— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 11, 2025 View Tweet When the goal went in he ran over to the home fans, stood with the back of his shirt facing them, and pulled down his sock to reveal a tattoo of himself and Jota hugging during a game.With him now wearing the No. 21, the national team number that was worn by his late friend, it was a touching tribute as he kissed the shirt and looked up to the heavens.It was an incredible moment and one that was emotional for him and the fans in the Jose Alvalade Stadium.The Portugal crowd erupted into applause during the 21st minute for Diogo JotaThe crowd themselves had paid tribute to the late star earlier in the game when the 21st minute came up on the clock; they erupted into a round of applause for Jota.Applause echoes around the stadium in the 21st minute for Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva ❤️Jota’s best friend Ruben Neves – who has a tattoo in honour of him – now wears the number 21 shirt for Portugal 🥺 pic.twitter.com/yTTsuu177Y— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 11, 2025 View Tweet One of the screens in the arena had a picture of the star with his name and number for his national team in a brilliant tribute.All these tributes and celebrations of his life have been nothing short of magnificent, and hopefully, they will continue as fans never forget the lasting impact of such a well-loved figure in the sport.