By Adegboyega Adeleye Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been ordered to play their next two home league matches behind closed doors and fined 100,000 Saudi Riyals (£20,000) over offensive chants directed at Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves involving his late friend and former team-mate Diogo Jota. Al-Taawoun supporters repeatedly chanted “Jota” at Neves during their side’s 6-0 defeat by Al-Hilal on Saturday, prompting widespread condemnation from the Saudi football authorities, both clubs and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Jota, a former Liverpool and Portugal forward, died alongside his brother Andre Silva in a car crash in Spain in July 2025, aged 28. Neves was a close friend and former team-mate of Jota at Wolverhampton Wanderers and with Portugal. He was also a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral and wears Portugal’s No. 21 shirt in his memory.
Neves responded to the supporters during the match before telling reporters afterwards: “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did.” Ronaldo, who played alongside both Jota and Neves for Portugal and currently plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, called for the fans responsible to receive lifetime bans. “The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo said on social media.
“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.” The incident occurred during Al-Taawoun’s 6-0 defeat to Al-Hilal, with Neves playing 75 minutes before being substituted. Al-Hilal subsequently filed a formal complaint with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), calling for action against the supporters involved.
“The company expressed its absolute rejection of such actions targeting players or their families, or intended to cause personal offence,” Al-Hilal said in a statement. Al-Taawoun also condemned the behaviour and said it did not represent the club