Chelsea winger Pedro Neto took the field for Friday’s FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras in Philadelphia after the death of close friend and former Wolverhampton teammate Diogo Jota, as well as Jota’s brother André Silva, in a car accident on 3 July. Neto, who had been granted compassionate leave, opted to start and entered the pitch carrying a Chelsea jersey bearing the names of Jota and Silva. Manager Enzo Maresca said the decision to play was “entirely Pedro’s,” adding that the club would support him regardless of his choice. The 25-year-old Portuguese forward had scored three goals in Chelsea’s first three matches of the tournament. His appearance came amid tributes across European football for Jota, the Liverpool striker whose sudden death has shocked the sport.