Saudi Arabian football authorities have vowed to take action against supporters who taunted Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves with chants about the death of his close friend and former Portugal teammate, Diogo Jota.
The incident occurred during Al-Hilal’s 6-0 away victory over Al-Taawoun on Saturday, when chants referencing Jota’s death were heard from the stands and directed at Neves.
The chants sparked strong condemnation from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who called for the supporters involved to be banned from stadiums for life.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram on Sunday.
“People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again,” he added.
Neves, 29, reacted to the chants by sarcastically giving a thumbs-up and applauding before pointing towards the sky.
The midfielder was one of Jota’s closest friends and served as a pallbearer at his funeral.
Speaking after the match, Neves expressed his anger over the incident.
“I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did,” he said.
Jota, 28, and his younger brother, Andre, 25, died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Saudi Pro League jointly condemned the incident in a statement issued late Sunday, describing the conduct by some supporters as “unacceptable”.
“Exploiting personal tragedies for the purpose of abuse or provocation is unacceptable behaviour that has no place in Saudi football,” the statement said.
The authorities added that relevant committees had identified the conduct and would take the necessary action in accordance with applicable regulations and procedures.
The controversy comes as Saudi Arabia continues its ambitious investment in football ahead of its hosting of the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
The Gulf kingdom has invested nearly $2 billion in football over three years as part of efforts to diversify an economy still heavily dependent on oil, attracting global stars including Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema.
The incident has nevertheless placed renewed focus on supporter behaviour and the standards Saudi football authorities are seeking to enforce as the country expands its international football profile.
With Ronaldo demanding a life ban and Saudi football authorities promising disciplinary action, the fallout over the Jota chants has become a significant test of the league’s response to abusive behaviour and the exploitation of personal tragedy in football.