Porto, July 9, 2025 — In a scene that has left fans around the world heartbroken, the late Diogo Jota’s beloved dogs have reportedly refused to eat since the moment of his tragic passing — a display of loyalty so raw and devastating that even the strongest in attendance at his memorial service could no longer hold back their tears.
According to family members, the three dogs — two golden retrievers and a black Portuguese water dog that Jota often shared photos of on Instagram — began behaving strangely the day of the crash. But it wasn’t until the funeral in Porto that their grief became visibly unbearable.
During a quiet, private graveside memorial held by the family two days after the public ceremony, the dogs were brought to say a final goodbye. What happened stunned everyone present.
“They walked straight to the headstone,” said one mourner, “and lay down without a sound. They didn’t sniff, didn’t bark — just rested their heads on the ground, like they knew.”
Witnesses say the dogs remained by Jota’s grave for over an hour, unmoving, ignoring food and water placed nearby. When family members tried to gently coax them away, the youngest retriever reportedly whimpered and placed its paw on the edge of the grave.
Photos from the memorial have since gone viral. The first shows the three dogs lying beside Jota’s flower-covered headstone, while the second — which is now sweeping across social media — captures a moment where mourners, including teammates and close friends, are openly weeping as they watch the animals refuse to leave.
One fan wrote:
“I thought I had cried enough for Diogo. Then I saw the dogs. And I broke.”
Another added:
“This is what unconditional love looks like. They’ve lost their world too.”
Jota, who tragically passed away in a car accident alongside his younger brother last week, was known for his deep love for his family — and his dogs. In a 2023 interview, he described them as “my peace, my reset button after every match.”
Since the funeral, the family has been working with a veterinarian and grief counselors to gently care for the dogs, who continue to show signs of withdrawal, reportedly refusing full meals and waiting by the front door of Jota’s home each evening.
Though his passing has left a void in the football world, it’s moments like this — simple, quiet, unbearably human — that remind us just how deeply one life can be loved, not just by millions of fans, but by those who knew him best… and never needed words to say goodbye.