Ronaldo demands lifetime stadium bans after fans taunt Neves over Jota's death

Cristiano Ronaldo has demanded lifetime stadium bans for Al-Taawoun supporters who chanted the name of the late Diogo Jota at his close friend and former team-mate Ruben Neves during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 Saudi Pro League victory on Saturday.

Video shared on social media showed Al-Taawoun fans repeatedly shouting “Jota, Jota, Jota” at Al-Hilal midfielder Neves in an attempt to unsettle the Portuguese international. Neves responded by pointing to the sky and then to his eyes — a gesture widely interpreted as a reminder that “God is watching.”

When asked about the chants after the final whistle, Neves told reporters: “I hope they don’t go to prayer later.”

Ronaldo, the most prominent figure in Saudi Arabia’s football project, took to Instagram to condemn the behaviour and call for firm action from the league. “The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” he wrote. “This is no longer football, and there have to be limits. People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again.”

Jota, the former Liverpool forward, died alongside his brother André Silva in a car crash in July 2025. The tragedy drew an outpouring of grief from across the football world. Ronaldo had already paid public tribute to Jota at the World Cup, wearing a Portugal shirt bearing the number 21 — Jota’s international squad number — after their round of 32 win over Croatia.

The bond between Neves and Jota ran deep. The two shared the pitch together at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where both made a significant impact on English football, and represented Portugal at international level. Neves has a tattoo of the pair on his left calf, and served as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral.

Saudi international Saleh Abu Al-Shamat also spoke out, describing the fans’ conduct as wrong and contrary to the teachings of Islam. “No matter how intense the rivalry or the situation, we should never stoop to gloating over the dead, engaging in slander, or attacking people’s families or the deceased,” he wrote on Instagram. “We live in an Islamic country, and it is our duty to show the world what Islam truly represents — a religion of love, tolerance, and respect.”