Roberto Martinez Explains How Portugal Is Carrying Diogo Jota's Dream Into 2026 World Cup

Portugal arrives at the 2026 World Cup as one of the favorites, with Cristiano Ronaldo commanding headlines and a talented squad chasing the country's first-ever World Cup title. But inside that dressing room, there's something else pushing this group.

Something heavier and more personal than a trophy. More than a year after Diogo Jota's death, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez says the former Liverpool forward is still very much present in the team's mindset as the tournament gets underway.

Roberto Martinez on Diogo Jota's Role in Portugal's World Cup Journey

In a recent conversation with The Athletic's James Horncastle, Martinez spoke openly about what Jota still means to this squad.

"Diogo is our light," Martinez said. "Diogo is our reference of wanting to do or needing to do what his dream was, which was winning titles for Portugal, like he did winning the Nations League. He was a big part of what we built in the dressing room. He wanted to win the World Cup, so it becomes a bit of a responsibility, an example, because Diogo was the pure example of believing in whatever could be possible, always with that tenacity, always finding the answer in the right moment in the difficult moment in the game."

Martinez paid tribute by naming a symbolic 27+1 squad when he announced his final World Cup roster.

Jota was 28 years old when he died in a car crash in northwestern Spain. His younger brother André Silva was also killed in the accident. The loss hit the soccer world hard and left Portugal without one of its most important attacking players heading into a World Cup year.

What made it even more painful was the timing. Jota had played a significant role in Portugal's qualification campaign just weeks before the crash, helping secure their place at this tournament.

Diogo Jota's Portugal Career and His World Cup Dream

Jota finished with 49 caps and 14 goals for the national team. He was the kind of player who could operate across the front line and rarely had a bad day for work rate. A calf injury had kept him out of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and returning to soccer's biggest stage in 2026 was a goal he carried for years.

He never got that chance. Now his teammates are carrying it for him. Martinez's comments make it clear that winning this tournament would mean something beyond the history books for this Portugal side. It would be for Diogo.

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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 4:11 AM.