Cristiano Ronaldo Demands Lifetime Bans After Diogo Jota Chants Target Joao Neves

Last Updated:September 13, 2026, 7:19 PM IST

Cristiano Ronaldo condemned the behaviour of fans who appeared to target Ruben Neves with chants about the late Diogo Jota.

Cristiano Ronaldo during the FIFA World Cup (Picture credit: AFP)

Legendary Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has said that the Saudi Pro League should take action and punish fans who were seen targeting Joao Neves with Diogo Jota’s chants at the Al Taawoun Club Stadium on Saturday, September 12.

Jota passed away in July 2025 at the age of 28. He and his 25-year-old brother, Andre Silva, were killed when the car they were travelling in crashed in Zamora, Spain.

Footage filmed from the stands at Al Taawoun Club Stadium and circulated on social media shows Al Hilal’s Neves standing over a free-kick near the home fans as chants of ‘Jota, Jota, Jota’ can be heard.

Neves appears to applaud the supporters before pointing to the sky and then gesturing towards his eyes while looking towards the section of the stand, off camera, from where the chants appear to be coming.

“I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did,” Neves said while speaking to the media after the match.

Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi club Al Nassr and is Portugal team-mate of Neves, having played alongside the late Jota as well, has called for those responsible to be punished, saying that they ‘should never be allowed to enter a stadium again’.

“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour. This is no longer football and there have to be limits,” Ronaldo commented on a post on Instagram.

Neves and Jota shared a close bond both on and off the field. Born just four months apart, they were teammates for Portugal at youth level before playing together at Porto.

Neves and Jota reunited at Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 2017, joining the Championship team at the age of 20.

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Why did Cristiano Ronaldo demand lifetime bans for certain Saudi Pro League fans?

Cristiano Ronaldo demanded lifetime bans after fans at the Al Taawoun Club Stadium targeted Joao Neves with chants of ‘Jota, Jota, Jota’. Ronaldo stated that the league must take action to punish this behavior, asserting that those responsible should never be allowed to enter a stadium again.

What is the significance of the Jota chants directed at Joao Neves?

The chants refer to Diogo Jota, a close friend and former teammate of Joao Neves who passed away in July 2025 at the age of 28 in a car crash. Neves and Jota shared a deep bond, having played together for Portugal’s youth teams, Porto, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

How did Joao Neves react to the chants from the Al Taawoun fans?

Joao Neves appeared to applaud the supporters, pointed to the sky, and gestured toward his eyes while looking at the section of the stand where the chants originated. After the match, Neves commented to the media, “I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did”.

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