Cristiano Ronaldo reveals why he was on a yacht instead of at Diogo Jota's funeral after personal heartache - and amid fear it would have been a 'circus'

Cristiano Ronaldo has defended his decision not to attend the funeral of Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota.

Speaking to Piers Morgan, Ronaldo cited a vow to not enter a cemetery again after his father's death and a desire to avoid making the sombre occasion a 'circus'.

Jota, 28, and his brother Andre Silva, 26, both tragically passed away on July 3 when their Lamborghini veered off a Spanish motorway, shocking the world of football. 

The Liverpool forward had heartbreakingly married his childhood sweetheart just days before he died, adding to the tragedy.

The siblings were laid to rest a couple of days in their native Portugal, with a host of team-mates in attendance including Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Ruben Neves. 

Ronaldo, who had won the Nations League with Jota just weeks earlier, was absent from the funeral and was heavily criticised in his homeland after photos emerged of him holidaying on a yacht in Mallorca.

The 40-year-old icon has now revealed why he decided against returning to Portugal to pay his respects. 

He confirmed in an interview with Piers Morgan that he did not want to create a 'circus' due to his presence, while stating that he had never been in a cemetery following the loss of his father José Dinis Aveiro, some 20 years ago.

'Two things, people criticise me a lot,' Ronaldo said. 'As I say, I don't care about that, because when you feel your conscience is good, free, you don't have to be worried about what the people say.

'But one of the things that I don't do, it's after my father died, I've never been in a cemetery again.

'And second, you know my reputation, wherever I go is a circus. I don't go also because if I go, the attention goes for me and I don't want this kind of attention.

'People can continue to criticise me, I felt good with my decision. 

'I don't need to be in the first line for people to see me, I'm planning the things, I'm thinking about his family.

'I don't need to be in the cameras for the people to see what I do. I do [it] behind the scenes, my friend.'

Ronaldo added that he had the 'opportunity to speak with their family and to give support' away from funeral.

Ronaldo's absence had drawn criticism from some quarters, with his sister Katia taking to Instagram to defend her sibling at the time. 

She wrote: 'When my father died, in addition to the pain of loss, we had to deal with a flood of cameras and curious onlookers at the cemetery and everywhere we went. 

'And attention was not what it is today in terms of access... At no time were we (the children) able to leave the chapel; it was only possible at the time of the burial, such was the commotion.

'At the funeral, there were presidents, coaches of the national team at the time, such as Luíz Felipe Scolari, etc. I don't remember seeing any of them. And they certainly greeted me. The pain blinded me.

'About pain/family and real support... You will never know what it means until you go through it. If someone sends me a message criticising anything my brother does, I will block it (completely ignore it), that is, they will only do it once.

'It's getting tiring. The fanaticism. The criticism for nothing, I repeat nothing... Sick society... We all have families. 

'It is absurdly shameful to watch TV channels/commentators/social networks emphasising an absence (wise) rather than respectfully honouring the pain of a mutilated family destroyed by the loss of two brothers. I am even ashamed to watch. Regrettable.

'And so the world goes... Society and opinion. Today they are worthless. They themselves have become bottomless pits. I feel sorry... And war is also like that. Believe me. Human evil is also a war. And every day we have to fight against it. And so it goes.'

Jota's final match came for his country alongside Ronaldo in the Nations League final just weeks before his passing. 

It was a triumphant occasion as Portugal beat rivals Spain to secure the trophy.

Ronaldo shared that he had been in the gym in the morning of Jota's death and 'cried a lot' after hearing the shock news.

The Portugal legend shared that the national team still feel Jota's presence on international camps, while he paid tribute to his late team-mate's character. 

'I didn't believe when they sent me messages. I cry a lot,' Ronaldo said.

'It was a very, very difficult moment for everybody - for the country, for families, for friends, for teammates, devastating. Very, very, very sad news.

'It was a shock moment. We still feel the aura there in the national team, when you put on the shirt, because Diogo was one of us.

'He was a very good guy, a quiet guy and a good player, as you know, but very, how you say, not a guy that speaks too much…I really liked to meet [with] him, to share with him some great moments. It was sad.'

After Jota's death in July, Ronaldo had shared a photo of the pair togethers and wrote: 'It doesn't make sense. We were just together in the national team and you had just gotten married. To your family, your wife and your children, I send me condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. 

'I know you will always be with them. Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. We will all miss you.' 

Despite missing the funeral, Ronaldo attended a special ceremony in memory of Jota's life in September.

The ceremony was attended by the Portugal team as well as Jota's family, officials of the Portuguese FA, agent Jorge Mendes and the country's president and Prime Minister.