While the criticisms increased on the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo from the funeral of the deceased teammate of Portugal Diogo Jota, the sister of the football star, Katia Aveiro, turned to social media to defend him fiercely, declaring that he would have blocked anyone who insulted his brother.
Previously on July 3, Jota and her younger brother André Silva are tragically transformed into a car accident near Zamora, Spain, on July 3. The footballer’s funeral took place silently in their hometown of Gondomar, Portugal, with many football figures present, including Virgil Van Dijk, Bruno Ferndes, Bernardo and Rúben. However, the absence of Ronaldo raised heated criticism, especially after the relationships that was on vacation in Majorca emerged.
The critics accused the captain of Portugal of being “selfish” and disrespectful, with some stressing that other players flew through the continents to participate. However, several media reported that Ronaldo remained far away for concern for the fact that his presence could have obscured the ceremony. He also noticed his emotional trauma linked to his father’s funeral in 2005, combined with the emotional weight of losing Jota, a teammate and a friend of the Nations League.
On Instagram, Katia Aveiro sentenced the wave of public judgment, “Silence is also a form of empathy. Not all absences are disrespectful, and not all presences are supported,” he wrote, adding, “criticizing without knowing the whole story is ignorance. If someone sends me a message that criticizes my brother, I will block them instantly. I am exhausted. The company is sick.”
Katia Aveiro – Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister – published these PG stories previously to face the absence of her brother from the funeral. He did it in Portuguese, so I’ll do my best to translate it !! (Row) pic.twitter.com/2gmr6tnnoa
– Miles ✮ (@lewguler) 6 July 2025
He also remembered the chaotic funeral of his father, writing, “When our father died, we had to face the cameras and watch strangers in the cemetery. People climbed tombs just to see us. There was no respect, no genuine mourning.”
Referring to Ronaldo’s criticism in the media and online, he said, “It is shameful that instead of honoring a mourning family that has lost two children, some television commentators and social media channels have chosen to focus on a single absence. It’s shameful.”
Katia stressed that Ronaldo cried privately and immediately expressed condolences through social media, publishing a heartfelt tribute to Jota’s family and said,“This makes no sense. We were only together with the national team. You just got married. Please the strength reaches your family and loved ones. You will always be with them.”
