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Saudi club hit with heavy fines and stadium ban following Ronaldo’s complaint over Jota chants
18th September, 2026 09:02 AM
Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun has been handed heavy fines and a stadium ban following an incident where fans chanted the name of the late footballer Diogo Jota to his friend Rúben Neves during a top-flight clash in Buraydah on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
The game finished 6-0 to Al-Hilal, with Neves playing 75 minutes before being substituted.
However, the resounding victory was marred by a heartbreaking moment when a section of fans taunted Neves with chants about his late friend Diogo Jota.
The supporters mockingly chanted Jota’s name at the midfielder, who was a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral following his tragic passing of the former Liverpool and Portugal winger last year in a car crash in Zamora, north-western Spain, along with his brother André Silva
Following the provocation, Neves was seen pointing upwards toward the sky while telling the fans, “God sees you.” While the midfielder did not discuss the confrontation at length after the final whistle, he delivered a brief but strongly worded response when passing the media.
The gesture elicited massive backlash, with Cristiano Ronaldo among the high-profile figures condemning the conduct of the fans.
The Al-Nassr star strongly denounced the supporters for using Diogo Jota’s name to provoke Neves and called for the culpable individuals to be banned for life from football stadiums.
League organisers and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) acted swiftly in response.
As part of the disciplinary measures, Al-Taawoun has been ordered to play their next two home matches behind closed doors alongside substantial financial penalties. The SAFF further affirmed that their decision is final, with no room for the club to appeal.
The club also had released a statement expressing its condemnation and firm rejection of the offensive chants directed at one of Al Hilal’s players, affirming that such actions are completely unacceptable in every way and do not represent them, nor its fans, nor the values for which our stands are known.
