Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral was given special dispensation to violate Wimbledon’s draconian all-white dress code. He did this to pay tribute to the late soccer star Diogo Jota. This poignant tribute took place during the Gentlemen’s Doubles second round match on July 4, 2025, held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.
Cabral, known for his intense competitive drive while on court as a professional, intends to pay tribute to Jota. Two weeks later, Jota died at only 28 and his brother André Silva, a fellow professional soccer player, died at 25. Cabral combined compassion and courage in a powerful way when he wore a black ribbon during his match. He had to get past Czech players Petr Nouza and Patrik Rikl.
“It was an honor. It’s not for the best reason. And while he inspired me deeply, he inspired the whole country. The other side of his exceptional impact on the sport is what made him such an astounding professional athlete. He conquered so much in his life. So it was just an honor for me to try and help, if only 1% for the family and everybody,” Cabral remarked to reporters, including CNN.
The tribute initially included with this concept of wearing a black strap. Cabral later learned that this was in violation of Wimbledon’s all-white dress code. He requested permission to instead wear the black ribbon. He put it on proudly, that very morning of his match.
“Yesterday I decided to go creative and wear a black strap, but they prohibited it,” Cabral said. “The players’ relationships they had a black ribbon, so I requested to #. They opened up the studio to let me play with it and I literally just finished it this morning.”
The movement of remembrance went further than Cabral. Emotional impact Fellow Portuguese player Nuno Borges joined the movement by wearing a black ribbon on his white cap during his men’s singles draw match, adding to the somber impact Jota’s death had on the Portuguese sports community.
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