Mexico’s Raul Jimenez paid tribute to Diogo Jota during the Concacaf Gold Cup final on Sunday, performing his late friend’s signature celebration after scoring a vital equalizer against the U.S. men’s national team. Jimenez netted the goal in the 27th minute, responding to an early lead from the U.S. team in the fourth minute.

After celebrating with his teammates, he sat on the ground, legs crossed, revealing a jersey with Jota’s name and number, laying it flat on the grass. He mimicked playing a video game, reminiscent of Jota, an enthusiastic gamer, after scoring a goal.

Raúl Jiménez honors Diogo Jota after his goal for Mexico ❤️🎮
The two were teammates at Wolverhampton 🙏 Source

Jimenez reflected on their shared time at Wolverhampton Wanderers from 2018 to 2019, emphasizing the bond they built. “He was a great teammate; we created beautiful moments together. It’s heartbreaking to receive such news about someone so dear to you and a wonderful friend,” Jimenez expressed on Saturday.

Numerous soccer players globally have honored Jota with similar tributes, including Ousmane Dembélé and Kylian Mbappe, who performed the celebration while scoring in Club World Cup matches. Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar and Rinsola Babajide from Nigeria also commemorated Jota in their respective matches.

Tragically, Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, passed away in a car accident in Spain just days prior to the tribute. Jota amassed accolades with Liverpool and the Portugal national team, including the Premier League title and UEFA Nations League trophy. Their funeral took place in Gondomar, Portugal.