Cristiano Ronaldo faced backlash after deciding not to attend Diogo Jota’s funeral, but his sister, Katia Aveiro, has stepped forward to defend his decision.

Jota and his brother Andre sadly lost their lives in a devastating car accident on Thursday, with the funeral taking place on Saturday in Gondomar, near Porto. While many footballers and former teammates were present to pay their respects, Ronaldo stayed away — reportedly to avoid drawing unwanted media attention that could detract from the solemnity of the occasion.

In response to criticism online, Katia took to Instagram to share a deeply personal message. She recalled the overwhelming attention her own family faced following their father’s passing, describing the chaos caused by media and curious onlookers during the funeral process.

“The pain was enough, but we also had to deal with the cameras and people watching everywhere we went,” she wrote. “At no point could we leave the chapel peacefully until the actual burial. It was simply too much.”

She went on to say that even with public figures like national team coaches and presidents attending, she couldn’t remember a single face due to the emotional weight of the moment. Her point: true grief isn’t about who shows up, but about the genuine support shared behind closed doors.

Katia also made it clear she wouldn’t tolerate any attacks on her brother’s choices. “If anyone dares to criticize him, that will be the last message they ever send me. Some things don’t deserve a response.”