Cristiano Ronaldo’s surprising decision to skip teammate Diogo Jota’s funeral was made out of respect for the grieving family, his sister claimed.

Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly assured the family of late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota that he will always support them after he was absent from his international team-mate's funeral on Saturday. The Portugal captain spoke with Jota's wife Rute Cardoso and his parents following the player's tragic death.

Cristiano Ronaldo skipped Diogo Jota's funeral as the football world said their goodbyes to the fallen Liverpool star and his brotherRonaldo, who is the captain of the Portuguese national team, was expected to lead the nation in sending off his teammateJota and his brother lost their lives in a fatal car crash in the northwestern Spanish city of Zamora on their way from PortoCristiano Ronaldo was a conspicuous absentee from the joint funeral of Diogo Jota and his brother,