Ronaldo calls for lifetime bans after ‘Jota’ chants aimed at Neves
The chants referring to the late Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash last year, occurred during Saturday’s Al-Taawoun-Al-Hilal match in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia.
Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime bans on fans who made chants referencing former teammate Diogo Jota at Ruben Neves during a Saudi Pro League match. The chants took place on Saturday during the game between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia. Jota, a close friend of Neves, passed away on July 3, 2025, in a car crash in Zamora, Spain.
Neves, who was a pallbearer at Jota's funeral, was visibly distressed when he saw the chants. The footage of the incident was shared on social media, leading Ronaldo to express his disapproval on his personal Instagram account. "The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour," Ronaldo said, emphasizing that such behavior is unacceptable in football.
He added that people who engage in such actions should never be allowed in stadiums again. Al-Hilal won the match 6-0, and Neves played for 75 minutes before being substituted. Reuters has reached out to both teams for comment.
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