Ronaldo and his teammates posed with Jota's number 21 jersey after their gripping 2-1 win against Croatia sent Portugal into the last 16.
"The coincidence of life, it's unbelievable," Ronaldo said. "We knew it before the game. It was a so special moment. We speak today, our group, about that, the coincidence of life. It's unbelievable."
Ronaldo also pulled on a number 21 jersey at the end of the game to conduct interviews.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said the victory had special meaning.
"For Portuguese fans this is a very happy day and also because of the meaning of the game, we've moved to the next phase, to the round of 16. In a year where we honoured Diogo Jota."
Jota and his brother Andre Silva were killed when their car crashed as the Liverpool player drove through Spain on July 3rd last year on his way back to report for pre-season training in England.
Earlier in the tournament, a black and white picture of Jota was shown on the giant screen at the stadium in Houston before Portugal's first game against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will feature 48 national teams and will be played in 16 modern stadiums.
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