Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves has expressed his outrage after a magazine cover implied a romantic connection between him and the late Diogo Jota’s wife, Rute Cardoso.

Neves had been supporting Rute in the wake of the tragic loss of her husband and his close friend, sharing in the grief of the family. However, TV Guia recently caused a stir by publishing an article titled: “After the death, Diogo Jota’s wife leans on her closest friend.”

The real issue, Neves insists, wasn’t the article itself but the cover image. The photo had been manipulated to make it appear that Neves and Cardoso were sharing an intimate, possibly romantic moment—a distortion that quickly fueled online speculation.

Taking to social media, the 27-year-old midfielder wrote:

“The person who chose this photo does not deserve happiness. My wife, Deborah Lourenco, and I have been together for over 11 years, building a family I am incredibly proud of. We have always tried to support Rute’s family during this immense loss. Using a misleading photo deliberately is disrespectful to both me and the deceased.”

Neves made it clear that while he welcomes media coverage of his friendship with Jota’s family, he cannot tolerate false narratives created by photo manipulation.

“I am proud of my wife and family, and we are also proud of Rute’s strength. We will always be there for her whenever she needs us,” he added.

Diogo Jota tragically passed away at the age of 28, alongside his brother Andre, in a car accident in early July in Spain. He left behind his wife Rute and their three young children. The couple had only been married for a few weeks.

Neves, visibly moved at the funeral, also commemorated Jota with a special tattoo on his leg, depicting a moment they shared together, and has taken over Jota’s number 21 jersey for the Portuguese national team.