Portuguese Football Association Leader Stands by Ronaldo for Skipping Diogo Jota's Funeral Ceremony
Cristiano Ronaldo Defended by Portuguese Football President Following Absence at Diogo Jota's Funeral
Amidst the controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's absence at Diogo Jota's funeral, Pedro Proença, the President of the Portuguese Football Association, has come to the football superstar's defence.
Proença reiterated that the sentiments about Ronaldo regarding his absence at the funeral are unfair. He stated that Ronaldo's physical absence from the solemn event means nothing more than his desire to respect the solemnity of the event.
Ronaldo, the team's longtime captain and talisman, was not present at the funeral, which stirred controversy. However, his elder sister, Katia Aveiro, explained that Ronaldo has a personal trauma with funerals since his father's death in 2005 and prefers to avoid media attention in such situations.
Proença further emphasized that Ronaldo never abandoned the Jota family. He said that Ronaldo felt the loss of Diogo Jota deeply, as they were true teammates. Katia also supports the view that Ronaldo's absence from the funeral was due to a fear of drawing undue media focus.
The funeral, held in July, was attended by several top Portuguese stars, including Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, and Ruben Dias. However, critics accused Ronaldo of turning his back on his teammate in a moment of collective mourning.
Despite the controversy, Proença's public defence aimed to counter criticism and emphasize empathy towards Ronaldo's privacy and the family's mourning process.
[1] https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62163865 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jul/14/cristiano-ronaldo-did-not-attend-diogo-jotas-funeral-because-of-personal-trauma [3] https://www.espn.com/football/transfers/story/4534643/cristiano-ronaldo-missed-diogo-jota-funeral-due-to-personal-trauma-says-sister-katia [4] https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/cristiano-ronaldo-missed-diogo-jota-funeral-due-to-personal-trauma-says-sister/blt33f4d3c16c32091c [5] https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/cristiano-ronaldo-diogo-jota-funeral-b2133787.html
[1] The Portuguese Football Association President, Pedro Proença, defended Cristiano Ronaldo, a prominent Naija footballer, in the wake of his absence at Diogo Jota's funeral.
[2] Following Ronaldo's absence at the solemn event, Proença declared that the criticism towards him was unwarranted, emphasizing his respect for the occasion.
[3] Interestingly, Ronaldo, who is frequently associated with European-leagues and the Premier League, was not at the funeral, stirring controversy in the sports community.
[4] Despite the controversy, Proença's sports-analysis underlined empathy towards Ronaldo's privacy and the family's mourning process, explaining that his absence was due to a personal trauma.
