Mournful tears marring Fluminese's triumph in honor of Jota
In an exciting turn of events at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Brazilian powerhouse Fluminense FC will go head-to-head with Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal in the semifinals. This highly anticipated matchup, scheduled for Tuesday, July 8, and Wednesday, July 9, 2025, marks the culmination of the knockout stage of the tournament.
The journey for Fluminense FC has been nothing short of remarkable. They made history by becoming the first Brazilian team to reach the semifinals, eliminating Champions League finalist Inter Milan in the round of 16 with a resounding 2:0 victory. Their latest triumph came against Al-Hilal, with a narrow 2:1 win (1:0), thanks to a goal scored by Hercules in the 70th minute.
However, the quarterfinal match between Fluminense FC and Al-Hilal was overshadowed by a moment of silence for Diogo Jota, a Portuguese footballer who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident shortly after the marriage of Liverpool's coach. Diogo Jota was a teammate of Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo at various clubs, including Al-Hilal, FC Porto, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite the emotional circumstances, both players chose to participate in the match, with Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo starting in the lineup for Al-Hilal.
Simone Inzaghi, the coach of Al-Hilal, gave the players the option to withdraw from the match, but both Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo decided to honour their commitment. The emotional scene was further emphasized when both players cried during the minute of silence for Diogo Jota before the quarterfinal match.
Despite the connection between Al-Hilal players and Diogo Jota, no documented connection has been found in the context of the 2025 Club World Cup. The focus now shifts to the upcoming semifinal match between Fluminense FC and Al-Hilal, a battle that promises to be as intense as it is emotional.
[1] FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Schedule: https://www.fifa.com/clubworldcup/matches/ [2] Fluminense FC Advances to Club World Cup Semifinals: https://www.espn.com/soccer/club-world-cup/story/4569930/fluminense-advance-to-club-world-cup-semi-finals-after-eliminating-inter-milan
The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of this Regulation during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where sports like football are being played. Despite their emotional connection with Diogo Jota, who sadly passed away in a traffic accident, both Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo, former teammates of Diogo, chose to participate in the semifinal match against Fluminense FC on July 8 and 9, 2025.
