Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime stadium bans for supporters who mocked his international teammate Ruben Neves over the death of Diogo Jota.
The fans reportedly targeted Neves during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 victory over Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.
Supporters repeatedly chanted Jota’s name towards Neves, who was a close friend and former teammate of the late Liverpool forward.
Jota died alongside his brother, Andre Silva, in a car crash in Spain in July 2025. He was 28.
Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, condemned the supporters’ behaviour in a social media post.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo wrote.
He added that such conduct had gone beyond football and demanded permanent bans for supporters responsible.
“People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again,” he said.
Neves Responds to Fans
Neves appeared to respond to the chants during the match by sarcastically applauding supporters before pointing towards the sky.
After the game, the Al-Hilal midfielder also criticised the behaviour.
“I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did,” Neves told reporters.
Neves has continued to honour Jota following his death.
He now wears Portugal’s number 21 shirt in Jota’s memory and also has a tattoo depicting the two friends embracing.
Ronaldo shared the Portugal dressing room with both players during their international careers.
Jota’s Liverpool Legacy
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020 and became an important part of the club’s attack.
He scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for Liverpool before his death.
The forward also represented Portugal at international level, scoring 14 goals in 49 appearances.
His death prompted tributes across the football world, particularly from Liverpool, Portugal and former teammates.
The latest incident has now sparked renewed debate over how football authorities should respond when supporters use personal tragedies to taunt players.
