Grief and football collided painfully in Saudi Arabia this past weekend when Al-Taawoun supporters appeared to chant the name of the late Portuguese forward Diogo Jota toward his close friend and former teammate, Rúben Neves, during a Saudi Pro League match.
The incident quickly drew international attention, with Neves reacting during the game and Cristiano Ronaldo later calling for lifetime stadium bans for supporters involved. Saudi football authorities subsequently condemned the conduct and announced disciplinary action.
A chant that crossed every line
Football rivalries can become heated, but the chants directed at Rúben Neves during Al-Taawoun’s match against Al-Hilal quickly drew widespread condemnation. Supporters appeared to chant Diogo Jota’s name toward Neves, Jota’s close friend and former teammate.
Neves reacted by pointing to his eye and then toward the sky before gesturing toward the stands. After the match, he said, “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did.”
What happened during Al Hilal’s rout
The match took place on Saturday in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia, where Al-Hilal defeated Al-Taawoun 6-0. The chants directed at Rúben Neves occurred during the match as he prepared to take a free kick.
The victory moved Al-Hilal to the top of the Saudi Pro League table with 18 points from 7 matches. The result was accompanied by widespread attention to the chants involving the late Diogo Jota, overshadowing discussion of the scoreline in much of the subsequent coverage.
Ronaldo’s furious response on Instagram
Cristiano Ronaldo responded on Instagram after footage of the incident circulated. The Al-Nassr captain condemned the behavior and called for action against the supporters involved.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behavior,” Ronaldo 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.”
Ronaldo was calling for lifetime stadium bans for supporters who behaved this way. His comments came as Al-Hilal and Al-Taawoun also condemned the incident and Saudi football authorities began disciplinary proceedings.
Diogo Jota’s tragic death explained
Diogo Jota died at age 28 on July 3, 2025, after the car he was traveling in crashed and caught fire near Zamora in northwestern Spain. His younger brother, André Silva, also died in the crash.
Jota’s death prompted tributes across football. Liverpool permanently retired his No. 20 shirt across all levels of the club, while Portugal later honored him by giving his No. 21 national-team shirt to his close friend and former teammate Rúben Neves.
Rúben Neves and Diogo Jota shared a close friendship that developed through their football careers. They played together at Wolverhampton Wanderers and later represented Portugal together at the senior level.
Neves served as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral in July 2025. In September 2025, he revealed a tattoo on his left leg showing the two friends embracing as a tribute to Jota.
Other voices condemning the chants
Ronaldo was not the only football figure to condemn the chants. Saudi Arabia’s international Saleh Abu Al-Shamat also spoke publicly about the incident and criticized the behavior.
Abu Al-Shamat said, “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.” His response came from within Saudi football as criticism of the chants spread.
How clubs and officials reacted
Al Hilal quickly released an official statement rejecting the chants entirely and without any hesitation. The club expressed what it called absolute opposition to actions targeting players, their families, or anyone connected to personal tragedy.
Al Taawoun also quickly issued a formal public response, insisting the conduct did not reflect the club’s true values whatsoever. Officials promised an internal review while distancing the entire organization from the small group involved.
Saudi football authorities separately vowed to investigate the entire incident further and thoroughly. Significant pressure now mounts on the league to deliver concrete disciplinary action very soon indeed.
Jota’s legacy on and off the pitch
Jota built a truly remarkable career before his death cut things so tragically short. He scored 65 goals in 182 total appearances for Liverpool after arriving from Wolves back in 2020.
Before the transfer, he had already wowed fans with 44 goals in 131 appearances for Wolves, contributing significantly to the club’s promotion and securing a solid finish in the Premier League.
Ronaldo personally honored his former Portugal teammate during the summer 2026 World Cup tournament, proudly wearing a special shirt bearing Jota’s old number 21 following a hard-fought victory over rivals Croatia that day.
Little-known fact: Beyond the goals, Jota earned a reputation inside the dressing room for his calm composure and efficient finishing, a trait that led to this specific nickname, “Silent Assassin,” among teammates.
TL;DR
- Al-Taawoun supporters appeared to chant late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota’s name toward his close friend Rúben Neves during a Saudi Pro League match.
- Cristiano Ronaldo called for lifetime stadium bans for supporters who behaved that way.
- Jota died on July 3, 2025, in a car crash near Zamora, Spain, alongside his brother André Silva.
- Neves and Jota were close friends and former teammates at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portugal.
- Saudi Arabia international Saleh Abu Al-Shamat also condemned the behavior.
- The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has since ordered Al-Taawoun to play its next 2 home league matches behind closed doors and fined the club 100,000 riyals ($26,660).
If you liked this story, don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content.
This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
If you liked this, you might also like:
