‘Diogo Jota has become a real inspiration inside this group. He’s a light that reminds us all to be present every day, because tomorrow is never guaranteed’ Roberto Martinez on the impact of Diogo Jota’s death on his Portugal squad

Person Player Diogo Jota ‘Diogo Jota has become a real inspiration inside this group. He’s a light that reminds us all to be present every day, because tomorrow is never guaranteed’ Roberto Martinez on the impact of Diogo Jota’s death on his Portugal squad Features By Joe Mewis Contributions from Florent Torchut published 31 May 2026 The former Liverpool forward was tragically killed in a car crash last summer When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Roberto Martinez has discussed the impact of Diogo Jota's death on his Portugal squad (Image credit: Getty Images) Copy link Facebook X Pinterest Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter For the past 12 months, any get-together of the Portuguese squad has come with added emotional weight of the loss of Diogo Jota, following the former Liverpool man’s tragic death last summer. And as Roberto Martinez puts together his final pieces of preparation for his side’s first major tournament since Jota’s loss, Portugal’s build-up has been inevitably shaped by grief and reflection. As well as being one of Portugal’s most important attacking players, Jota was also a hugely respected member of the dressing room and as the squad look to move forward together this summer, Martinez insists that they will look to channel Jota’s influence. You may like ‘When we qualified for the World Cup, there was a part of me that felt Diogo Jota was looking over us’ Andy Robertson on the World Cup bond he formed with his tragic former Liverpool team-mate Andy Robertson describes the transition from Liverpool’s title win to Diogo Jota’s funeral Portugal squad World Cup 2026: Roberto Martinez's 27-man preliminary selection Roberto Martinez on Diogo Jota’s lasting influenceGet a Surfshark VPN in time for the World Cup! Pick up an extra three months of service and up to a $30 (£22) Amazon Gift Card when purchasing a two-year subscription plan. View Deal“It was a tragedy at a human level that’s very difficult to put into words,” Martinez reflects to FourFourTwo, admitting that every individual has handled the loss differently. He adds that his staff have given each member of the Portugal squad the space and time to process Jota’s death, rather than forcing the players into a collective response. Martinez took over as Portugal boss in 2023 “Grief is deeply personal and everyone in the squad has processed it in their own way. We’ve tried above all to give that process the respect and space it needs.” The first anniversary of Jota’s passing will occur during the knockout phases of this summer’s World Cup and Martinez insists that the former Pacos de Ferreira youngster’s influence will continue to be felt throughout the team’s training camp. Get the FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.“What I can say is that Diogo has become a real inspiration inside this group,” Martinez adds. “He was someone who brought absolute intensity to every training session, with no exception – someone who believed deeply in what this squad could achieve, who wanted to win titles for Portugal more than almost anyone I have ever worked with. “His standards, his energy, and his conviction – these are attributes the players want to carry forward, to honour. Jota won 49 Portugal caps, scoring 14 times (Image credit: PA Images)Martinez also believes Jota’s legacy with this Portugal squad can be to underline the importance of embracing every opportunity and moment together. “Diogo is always with us. He’s a light that reminds us all to be present every day, to give everything we have, because tomorrow is never guaranteed. “That isn’t a cliche, it’s something the players feel genuinely and deeply, and that feeling gives us a strength that goes well beyond tactics.” TOPICS Portugal World Cup Joe MewisSocial Links NavigationFor more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown. With contributions fromFlorent Torchut View More You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Logout Read more Player ‘When we qualified for the World Cup, there was a part of me that felt Diogo Jota was looking over us’ Andy Robertson on the World Cup bond he formed with his tragic former Liverpool team-mate     Player Andy Robertson describes the transition from Liverpool’s title win to Diogo Jota’s funeral     Player Exclusive: Andy Robertson discusses Scotland's World Cup ambitions     Player ‘The Denmark game transcended football – you couldn’t write that ending if you tried’ Ryan Christie on the classic win that sealed Scotland’s World Cup return     Player ‘If we played that game 10 times, we’d win it nine’ Olivier Giroud recalls the most painful defeat of his entire career, and why it made him the player he became     Player 'The Boy's A Bit Special' Portugal teenager with shades of Manchester City legend an outside bet for World Cup spotlight     Latest in Player Player Kasper Schmeichel reflects on his career and Leicester City title win following retirement     Player 'I'm not upset at all that he’s leaving' Alan Shearer takes ironic penalty stance on Anthony Gordon's Newcastle United exit     Player Is Achraf Hakimi injured? Champions League final injury update on Paris Saint-Germain right-back     Player ‘Declan Rice is a beast – I’d love to face him or Martin Odegaard at the World Cup’ Mikel Merino on the prospect of facing his Arsenal team-mates at the World Cup this summer     Player Is Neymar injured? World Cup injury update on Brazil's record scorer     Player Thomas Tuchel's World Cup error highlighted but snubbed England star 'won't cry about it'     Latest in Features Player Kasper Schmeichel reflects on his career and Leicester City title win following retirement     Competition How to watch Germany vs Finland: Free streams and TV info     Competition How to watch USA vs Senegal for FREE: Live stream details     Competition How many teams have done the league and Champions League double?     Competition How to watch Mexico vs Australia: Free streams and TV info     Competition How to watch Champions League Final 2026 for FREE     LATEST ARTICLES1How to watch USA vs Senegal for FREE: Live stream details2How to watch Germany vs Finland: Free streams and TV info3‘Declan Rice is a beast – I’d love to face him or Martin Odegaard at the World Cup’ Mikel Merino on the prospect of facing his Arsenal team-mates at the World Cup this summer4‘I spoke with Pep Guardiola, and obviously you don’t need a lot of convincing to go to Manchester City. He showed his interest in me, which made me comfortable signing’ Jeremy Doku on how his Etihad move came about5How to watch Masters European Champions 2026