Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo has explained why he did not attend the funeral of late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who tragically died alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in a car accident in July.

Ronaldo, who shared the pitch with Jota in the Portugal national team, faced heavy criticism from fans and pundits after being absent at the funeral, which was attended by several of their international teammates.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the 40-year-old football icon revealed that his decision was driven by two deeply personal reasons.

“There are two things. People criticise me a lot, and I don’t care because when your conscience is clear, you don’t need to worry about what others say,” Ronaldo said.

“One of the things I’ve avoided since my father died is visiting cemeteries. Secondly, you know my reputation; wherever I go, it becomes a circus. I didn’t want the attention to shift from Jota and his family.”

Ronaldo emphasised that his decision came from a place of respect, not indifference.

“People can continue to criticise me, but I felt good about my decision,” he added.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner said he preferred to mourn privately, honouring his former teammate in his own way, away from the cameras and crowds.