&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Cristiano Ronaldo wants fans disrespecting late teammate Jota 'never be allowed to enter a stadium again' in Saudi Pro League")
Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has asked for a ban on fans who disrespected the memory of his former teammate, the late Diogo Jota. Ronaldo's comments came after fans shouted 'Jota' during the Al-Hilal vs. Al-Taawoun match on Saturday (Sep 12). The fans repeatedly targeted Al-Hilal's midfielder Ruben Neves, a close friend of Jota, during his team's 6-0 win. Jota died in a car crash in July 2025 at the age of 28, leaving fans shocked across Liverpool and Portugal.
Ronaldo wants ban on fans disrespecting Jota in Saudi Pro League
"The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behavior," Ronaldo wrote on social media after the incident. "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."
Neves, who played with Jota at Wolverhampton Wanderers and for Portugal, has a tattoo on his calf of him and Jota embracing. He clapped at the fans after being subjected to the chants of 'Jota, Jota'.
"I just hope they don't go to pray later after what they did," Neves told reporters after the match.
What did the clubs and league say?
"The company expressed its absolute rejection of such actions targeting players or their families, or intended to cause personal offense," Al-Hilal said in a statement.
Al-Taawoun's statement said: "Such conduct is completely unacceptable and does not represent Al-Taawoun, its supporters, or the values for which its terraces are known."
The league also acknowledged the behavior of some fans as being "inconsistent with the values of Saudi football and the principles of sportsmanship."
The statement also made its stance clear, stating that using such tragedies "for the purpose of abuse or provocation is unacceptable behavior that has no place in Saudi football."
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