Ronaldo calls for life bans of Saudi Pro League fans after Jota chants
Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime stadium bans for fans who taunted Ruben Neves by chanting the name of his deceased teammate, Diogo Jota. The incident occurred during a Saudi Pro League match, prompting Al-Hilal to file a formal complaint.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing issue of fan conduct and harassment in professional sports, specifically within the expanding Saudi Pro League.
Fans at Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal game seem to taunt Ruben Neves by chanting the name of his deceased teammate, Diogo Jota.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Cristiano Ronaldo plays in the Saudi Pro League for football team Al-Nassr [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters] By Reuters Published On 13 Sep 2026 13 Sep 2026 Cristiano Ronaldo has said that fans who appeared to make chants referencing former teammate Diogo Jota at Ruben Neves during a Saudi Pro League match should be banned from football stadiums for life.
The chants occurred on Saturday during a fixture between Al-Taawoun and Neves’s side Al-Hilal in Buraydah, 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.
Also covering this story
3 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Cristiano Ronaldo calls for lifetime bans after Saudi fans taunt Ruben Neves over Diogo Jota death
Soccer-Ronaldo calls for lifetime bans after 'Jota' chants aimed at Neves
Ronaldo calls for lifetime bans after ‘Jota’ chants aimed at Neves
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