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Ruben Neves has condemned Al-Taawoun supporters after they repeatedly chanted the name of his late friend Diogo Jota during Al-Hilal's 6-0 Saudi Pro League victory on Saturday.
The Portugal midfielder was visibly angered by the chants during the match in Buraidah, with footage showing him responding to supporters and pointing towards the sky.
The incident overshadowed an emphatic victory for Al-Hilal, who produced a dominant display despite the attention being drawn to the behaviour of sections of the home support.
Jota, Neves' former Portugal teammate and close friend, died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025 alongside his brother Andre Silva. Neves was among the pallbearers at Jota's funeral and has previously spoken about the impact of losing his friend.
Neves responds to Diogo Jota chants
The chants of “Jota, Jota, Jota” were directed towards Neves during the Saudi Pro League encounter, with the midfielder making his feelings clear to the supporters.
Neves pointed towards the sky and appeared to tell the fans that God was watching them before later addressing the incident after the final whistle.
“I hope they don't go to prayer later after what they did,” Neves said in the mixed zone after the game.
His response has since attracted widespread attention, with the incident condemned by supporters and media outlets as an unacceptable attempt to provoke a player by invoking the death of someone close to him.
The circumstances made the chants particularly sensitive given Neves' relationship with Jota and the Portuguese midfielder's role in the funeral of his former teammate.
Al-Hilal cruise to emphatic victory
The controversy came during an extraordinary performance from Al-Hilal, who recorded a 6-0 victory over Al-Taawoun.
Gabriel Martinelli was the standout performer after completing a hat-trick, while former Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins scored twice. Neves also contributed an assist as Al-Hilal produced one of their most convincing displays of the season.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, the reaction to the Jota chants became one of the main talking points after the game.
For Neves, the incident was clearly personal rather than simply another example of supporters attempting to unsettle an opposing player.
The midfielder has maintained a close connection with Jota's family since his death, while Jota's memory has remained prominent within Portuguese football and at Liverpool, where the forward spent the final years of his career.
FGG Says
There is a line between trying to unsettle an opponent and deliberately using a personal tragedy to provoke them.
Football supporters have always looked for ways to get under the skin of players, but invoking the death of a close friend and former teammate crosses that line.
Neves' reaction showed how deeply the chants affected him, despite Al-Hilal being comfortably ahead on the pitch.
Whatever the rivalry or result, Jota's death should not be reduced to ammunition for supporters trying to provoke an opponent.