Updated 6 July 2025 at 16:33 IST
Kylian Mbappe pays tribute to Diogo Jota with heartfelt gesture | Image:
AP
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Real Madrid clinched a magnificent 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-final clash of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, on Sunday, July 6th, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
It was Gonzalo Garcia and Francisco Garcia’s early goals which gave an advantage to Los Blancos. Even though the German club tried their best to break the deadlock, Dortmund failed in the first half. But in the added minutes of the second half, Maximilian Beier made a breakthrough for The Black and Yellows.
However, Real Madrid didn’t waste any time and scored another stunner in the 94th minute of the game. It was Kylian Mbappe with a stunning overhead kick, which helped Real Madrid to take a 3-1 lead in the game.
The drama in the match didn’t end there as Dortmund was handed a penalty in the 98th minute. Serhou Guirassy made no mistake in converting the spot kick. But it was too late for the German club to make a comeback.
As the final whistle was blown by the Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti, Real Madrid players were overjoyed as they confirmed their semi-final spot in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
The most iconic moment in the game was after Kylian Mbappe’s acrobatic goal. Soon after scoring, the French attacker went towards the camera and hand gestured to number 20, which used to be Diogo Jota’s jersey number.
Before the start of the match at MetLife Stadium, both Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund observed a one-minute silence to pay tribute to Diogo Jota’s legacy.
The news of Diogo Jota’s demise shocked football fans all over the world. Jota passed away in a car crash in Spain’s Zamora, along with his younger brother, Andre Silva, who was also present in the car.
Diogo Jota joined Liverpool in September 2020, and played 182 matches, scoring 65 goals. He also played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s National Football Team. Jota played 49 matches for Portugal, scoring 14 goals.
Published 6 July 2025 at 16:33 IST