Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group K - Portugal v DR Congo - Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas, U.S. - June 17, 2026 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Pedro Nunes | Photo Credit: Reuters

Portugal players were seen wearing wristbands during their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K match against DR Congo at the Houston Stadium on Tuesday.

This was a gesture to pay tribute to Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who had passed away in a road accident in 2025.

According to a Reuters report, the wristbands were presented to the squad by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and they featured the names of all current players along with that of Jota.

Jota’s family was also seen in attendance at the Houston Stadium for the game. They were visibly emotional as Jota’s images came up on the big screen at the ground during the Portuguese national anthem.

Midfielder Vitinha also revealed in the leadup to the match that Portugal will be carrying the wristbands, which fit all the parameters required by FIFA to wear onto the field.

Jota, who scored 14 goals in 49 appearances for Portugal, remains a cherished teammate. Ruben Neves, who was a close friend of Jota, will also reportedly wear the jersey No. 21 — the number previously worn by Jota.

Published on Jun 17, 2026