Cristiano Ronaldo calls for lifetime bans in Saudi Pro League after Diogo Jota chants
By The Guardian, September 13, 2026Cristiano Ronaldo said that fans who appeared to make chants referencing his former teammate Diogo Jota at Rúben Neves during a Saudi Pro League match should be banned for life from football stadiums.
The chants occurred on Saturday during a fixture between Al-Taawoun and Neves’s side, Al-Hilal, in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
The former Liverpool and Portugal winger died last year in a car crash in Zamora, north-western Spain, along with his brother André Silva. A close friend of Jota, Neves was a pallbearer at his funeral.
Footage filmed from the stands during the match and circulated on social media appeared to show supporters chanting “Jota”.
The shouts attracted the attention of Neves, who pointed to his eye and then up to the sky in response. Passing through the mixed zone after the game, Neves said: “I hope they don’t go to pray afterwards.”
Ronaldo’s remarks
In response to an Instagram post showing the footage, Ronaldo commented from his personal account.
“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.“
The game finished 6-0 to Al-Hilal, with Neves playing 75 minutes before being substituted.
Reuters has contacted Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal for comment.
Following the incident, Neves was seen pointing upwards towards the sky while telling the fans: “God sees you.”
The midfielder did not discuss the confrontation at length after the final whistle. However, when asked about the incident while passing the media, he delivered a brief but strongly worded response.
“I hope they don’t go to prayer later after what they did,” Neves said.
His reaction came after supporters appeared to use Jota’s name as a way of provoking him during the match.
The chants carried added significance because of the close friendship between Neves and Jota, which stretched back several years.