Cristiano Ronaldo has called for any fans who mocked the death of Diogo Jota in front of Ruben Neves to never be allowed in a stadium again. Neves, who has been playing in Saudi Arabia since 2023, was in action for Al-Hilal against Al-Taawoun on Saturday.
His side won 6-0 on the day, with former Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat-trick and England's Ollie Watkins netting twice. But the victory was overshadowed by vile chants from supporters. Video footage has shown Neves reacting to supporters seemingly mockingly singing the name of former Liverpool and Wolves forward Jota, who died in a car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva in July 2025.
Neves and Ronaldo respond
Speaking to reporters after the game, Neves said: "I hope they don't go to prayer later." Ronaldo has now given his take and called for serious action for those found responsible.
Taking to Instagram, he wrote: "The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour. 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."
Friendship with Jota
Neves was close friends with Jota, having played together at both Wolves and with the Portuguese national team. The midfielder has previously revealed that he still talks to his friend in a group chat, and he has a tattoo of his former teammate on his leg.
"I still talk to him. Few people know this. We have a WhatsApp group with Rute (Jota's widow) and Diogo, and it's still there, and we continue to talk there. Whenever something special happens, I have the conversations archived on my WhatsApp so I can continue to send him messages."
Wider condemnation
Saudi Arabian international Saleh Abu Al-Shamat was also one of those to speak out after Saturday's incident. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: "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.
"No one is perfect, of course, but regarding the actions of some Al-Taawoun fans during the match against Al-Hilal: this isn't just about our club; it concerns our great religion, 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.
"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. I hope we can leverage the massive attention our league is receiving to project the best possible image of Islam. By doing so, we might foster goodwill and help others learn about our faith. That is the message I wanted to convey; I felt a personal obligation, as a Muslim living in this great Islamic nation, to speak out against what is happening—because it is wrong and unacceptable."
