Portugal to Honor Diogo Jota with Wristbands at World Cup
LONDON: Portugal's World Cup squad will wear commemorative wristbands in tribute to late former teammate Diogo Jota, midfielder Vitinha said on Saturday, as they prepare to open their Group K campaign against DR Congo next week. The wristbands, a gift from Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, carry the names of all squad members alongside that of former Portugal forward Jota, who died with his brother in a car crash in northwestern Spain last year. Jota earned 49 caps and scored 14 goals for his country, and his absence has been felt deeply by his Portugal teammates.
"Basically, the story of the wristband is, when we went to meet with the Prime Minister, he offered us this wristband," Vitinha told reporters. "They made sure that it was a wristband that we could wear on the pitch. It has all the specifics for us to be able to enter the pitch with it, with the name of all the players plus the special name of Diogo Jota. He let us choose if we wanted to use it or not, how (we use it), during the day or during the match. We received it with a lot of affection and we chose to use it."
Portugal will open their campaign on Wednesday. Vitinha is no longer a stranger to the big stage, having won back-to-back Champions League titles with Paris St Germain, but he struck a cautious tone about Portugal's World Cup prospects, four years after their quarter-final exit in Qatar. "I wouldn't say we're the favourites, we have great quality and capacity to advance far in the tournament," he said. "We know the right path is to be humble and play the right game. We have the talent, all we need is the technical and tactical aspects (to come together)."
Varying Temperatures Pose Difficulty
The tournament's three-country format across the United States, Mexico and Canada presents logistical challenges, but Vitinha remained philosophical about the varying conditions. "The weather will affect how we play, but that is for everybody, not just for us," he said. "With varying temperatures in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, it is very difficult. But it is the World Cup and there are no excuses, no conditions that can keep us from giving everything for the national team."
For Vitinha, whose father Vitor Manuel was also a midfielder, winning the World Cup remains a lifelong ambition. "It's always been a dream, I've not wished to do anything else. To an extent I've always followed what my father did," he said. "This is what I always wanted to do, I've always dreamed of this and achieved many great things. I want to achieve winning this title as well."
