When Portugal play Croatia in the World Cup round of 16 in Toronto on Friday, Portuguese fans will release white balloons in the 21st minute to remember Diogo Jota, the striker who died in a car accident.
What happened? Diogo Jota was a Portuguese football player who played as a striker, most famously for Liverpool in England. He died in a car accident, and his old club retired the number 20 shirt he used to wear as a sign of respect. Friday's game against Croatia in Toronto falls close to the first anniversary of his death, so Portuguese supporters want to do something special during the match. Their plan is simple: in the 21st minute, fans will let go of white balloons in the stands. The number 21 is close to the shirt number Jota wore, and white is a colour often linked to remembrance.
Who is helping? The Portuguese team and its fans are working together on the tribute. The supporter groups are organising the balloon release and spreading the word through social media so as many fans as possible join in at the same time. Coach Roberto Martinez has spoken openly about what Jota meant to the squad. He told reporters that Jota helped build the current team and that the players still think about him every day in training. Martinez also said the team wants to win the World Cup in Jota's memory, which gives the whole tournament an extra layer of meaning for this group of players.