Ronaldo calls for life bans after Jota chants target Neves

Saudi football authorities have vowed to take action after rival fans taunted Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves over the death of his close friend and former Portugal teammate Diogo Jota, prompting Cristiano Ronaldo to call for life bans for those involved. Chants about Jota, the Liverpool and Portugal forward who died in a car crash last year, were heard during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 away victory over Al-Taawoun on Saturday. “The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour, ” Portugal captain Ronaldo wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again, ” he added. Neves, 29, responded to the chants from the stands by sarcastically giving a thumbs-up and applauding before pointing towards the sky. “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did, ” Neves said after the match. Neves was among Jota’s closest friends and served as a pallbearer at his funeral. Jota, 28, and his brother Andre, 25, died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025. Saudi authorities condemn fan behaviour The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Saudi Pro League condemned what they described as “unacceptable conduct by some supporters” in a joint statement on Sunday. “Exploiting personal tragedies for abuse or provocation is unacceptable behaviour that has no place in Saudi football, ” the statement said. The authorities said relevant committees had identified the conduct and would take action under applicable regulations and procedures. Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034 World Cup, a major part of its plans to diversify an economy heavily dependent on oil. The Gulf kingdom has invested nearly $2 billion in football over three years, attracting global stars including Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema.

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