Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime stadium bans after Saudi football fans taunted Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves by repeatedly chanting the name of his late friend and former Portugal teammate, Diogo Jota.
The incident occurred during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 victory over Al-Taawoun, when supporters were heard repeatedly chanting “Jota, Jota, Jota” in an apparent attempt to unsettle Neves.
Jota, the former Liverpool forward, died alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in July 2025, a tragedy that prompted widespread mourning across the football world and particularly among Portugal’s players.
Neves did not respond verbally to the chants during the match. Instead, footage circulating on social media appeared to show him pointing towards the sky before gesturing towards his eyes, a reaction widely interpreted as a message that God was watching.
After the match, Neves was asked about the incident. His response was brief but pointed: “I hope they don’t go to prayer later.”
Ronaldo, who remains one of the most prominent figures in Saudi football, subsequently criticised the behaviour on Instagram and called on the Saudi Pro League to take strong disciplinary action.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo 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.”
Ronaldo’s comments put the incident under a much wider spotlight because of his prominent role in Saudi football and the league’s growing international profile. His intervention also reflected the emotional significance of Jota’s death within the Portuguese national team, where Neves and Ronaldo were teammates.
🚨 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇: Ruben Neves’ reaction as Al-Taawoun fans repeat the name of his late close friend: “Jota, Jota, Jota…” 🙏 pic.twitter.com/2iPdA36H3i
— RazedFootball (@RazedFootball) September 12, 2026
Neves had been close to Jota, making the decision by some supporters to use the striker’s name as a taunt particularly personal.
The reaction was not limited to Ronaldo. Saudi international Saleh Abu Al-Shamat also condemned the chants, arguing that the behaviour was incompatible with the values of Islam and should not be associated with Saudi football.
“I wanted to draw attention to something we all witnessed today. I felt it was my duty – as a Muslim – to share this and raise awareness,” Abu Al-Shamat wrote on Instagram.
He said football rivalries could become intense, but argued that there should be a clear boundary when it comes to mocking the dead or attacking the families of deceased people.
“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.
Abu Al-Shamat also pointed to the international attention surrounding the Saudi Pro League and said the competition had a responsibility to represent the values of the country and its religion.
“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,” he said.
He urged those involved in Saudi football to use the league’s growing global audience to promote respect rather than allow incidents such as the chanting to damage its reputation.
The episode has therefore moved beyond a confrontation between rival supporters and a player. It has raised questions about the limits of football rivalry, the treatment of grief in stadiums and the responsibility of supporters in a league that has attracted increasing international attention.
For Ronaldo, the answer is clear. Fans who cross that line should not simply face a short suspension or fine. He believes they should be prevented from returning to stadiums altogether.
Whether the Saudi Pro League will impose such penalties remains to be seen, but the incident has already triggered condemnation from some of the country’s most visible football figures and renewed debate over where rivalry ends and basic respect begins.
