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Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime stadium bans after Al-Taawoun supporters chanted the name of the late Diogo Jota at his close friend Ruben Neves during Al-Hilal's Saudi Pro League victory.
A section of the Al-Taawoun support repeatedly shouted “Jota, Jota, Jota” at Neves during Saturday's match, seemingly attempting to provoke the Portugal international by referencing the death of his former teammate and close friend.
Neves reacted by pointing towards the sky and then at his eyes, appearing to indicate that God was watching the supporters. He later expressed his anger at the chants after Al-Hilal's emphatic 6-0 victory.
Ronaldo demands lifetime bans for Al-Taawoun supporters
Ronaldo has now called on the Saudi Pro League to take the strongest possible action against those responsible.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo commented on Instagram.
“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 intervention comes after Neves, visibly angered by the chants during the game, told reporters: “I hope they don't go to prayer later.”
The incident occurred during a one-sided contest in which Al-Hilal scored six times, with Gabriel Martinelli completing a hat-trick and Ollie Watkins scoring twice, while Neves also provided an assist in the victory.
The chants have attracted widespread condemnation, with the circumstances making them particularly sensitive because of the close relationship between Neves and Jota.
Neves and Jota shared close bond
Jota died alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Spain in July 2025, sending shockwaves through Portuguese and European football.
Neves and Jota had played together at Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers and with Portugal, and their friendship continued long after they stopped being club teammates. Neves was also one of the pallbearers at Jota's funeral.
The Al-Hilal midfielder has previously paid tribute to his friend, including through a tattoo featuring the pair, making the decision by some supporters to use Jota's name to provoke him particularly personal.
Ronaldo also had a close connection with Jota through the Portugal national team. During the 2026 World Cup, he paid tribute to his former international teammate by wearing a Portugal shirt bearing Jota's old number 21 after a victory over Croatia.
Saudi Arabia international Saleh Abu Al-Shamat has also condemned the incident, describing the behaviour as “wrong and unacceptable” and arguing that it went against 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,” Abu Al-Shamat wrote on Instagram.
His comments add to the growing criticism of the supporters responsible, while Ronaldo's call for lifetime bans puts pressure on the Saudi Pro League to decide how it will respond.
FGG Says: There is a difference between football rivalry and deliberately targeting a player's grief
Ronaldo's demand for lifetime bans makes clear how seriously the incident has been viewed within the Portuguese football community, while Abu Al-Shamat's intervention shows that condemnation has also come from within Saudi football.
Neves' friendship with Jota and his role at his funeral mean that the chants were never likely to be treated as ordinary football banter.
Whatever punishment follows, the incident has crossed a line that should not need to be explained in football.