Portuguese team pays emotional tribute to Diogo Jota

The Portugal national team held a special ceremony on Tuesday celebrating the life of their late teammate, Diogo Jota.

His widow, Rute, was present to unveil a framed bronze Portugal shirt with Jota's name and number on at the nation's training base in Lisbon.

The 28-year-old Liverpool star and his brother, Andre, died in July in a car crash that shook the footballing world.

Attended by Jota’s family, Portugal FA officials, and Portugal's president and prime minister, midfielder Ruben Neves paid a heartbreaking tribute to his friend and former teammate.

“Because I feel a bit part of this family, I would like to leave a word of much strength to Rute, the boys, and to the parents of Diogo and Andre,” he said.

“As I have said, me and the whole national team, will do everything to keep Diogo present with us. Thank you, Jorge, André and Diogo, forever in our hearts.”

Former Porto captain Jorge Costa died in August after having a cardiac arrest at the club's training centre.

Jota played his last game for Portugal in early June, starring in the National League final when his team beat Spain to win the trophy again.

Neves and Jota played together on several teams, including the national squad, featuring on the pitch at the same time a total of 164 times.

The midfielder will now wear Jota's number 21 shirt for Portugal to honour his friend's legacy.