Portugal and Al-Nassr footballer Cristiano Ronaldo called for stringent action on fans giving reference of former teammate Diogo Jota at Ruben Neves during any Saudi Pro League Match. The veteran athlete urged that stakeholders must come together and ban such fans from football stadiums for life.
Ruben Neves a close friend of Diogo Jota
The chants occurred on Saturday during a fixture between Al-Taawoun and Neves’ side Al-Hilal in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia. Jota died on July 3, 2025, in a car crash in Zamora, northwestern Spain, along with his brother Andre 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.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” said Ronaldo.
“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.”
Saudi Pro League 2026-27: How has Crisitiano Ronaldo performed for Al-Nassr this season?
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has performed exceptionally well in five appearances for Al-Nassr in the 2026-27 edition of the Saudi Pro League. The 41-year-old missed the opening fixture before making his season debut on August 21, 2026. In five games, he has netted three goals, scoring one apiece against Al-Riyadh SC, Al-Taawoun FC and Abha Club.
With Al-Nassr winning the title last year, the Portuguese star was the top performer, netting 28 goals in 30 appearances for the side. Ronaldo recently retired from international football, drawing curtains on a decorated career after Portugal’s exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026 following a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16 encounter.
(With inputs from Reuters)
