Legendary Portugal and Al Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime bans for abusive supporters from entering stadiums after Al-Hilal star Ruben Neves was taunted with chants about late Portuguese star Diogo Jota during a Saudi Pro League (SPL) match on Saturday. Both Neves and Cristiano shared the dressing room with the late Liverpool star while playing for Portugal.
Footage circulated on social media on Saturday showing Neves standing next to his teammate Crysencio Summerville, ready to take a free-kick, while chants of “Jota, Jota, Jota” could be heard at Al Taawoun’s home arena.
Jota was killed in a car accident in Zamora, Spain, in July last year.
Cristiano Ronaldo Calls for Action Against Fan Misconduct
Following a recent match, Ruben Neves expressed his concerns about fan behavior, stating, ‘I just hope they don’t go to pray later after what they did,’ as reported by ESPN. Neves’ comments come after an incident involving chants directed at teammate Diogo Jota. Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr and has shared the field with both Neves and Jota, also condemned the actions of the supporters. He urged the league to impose bans on those responsible, emphasizing that such behavior is unacceptable in football. ‘The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour. 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,’ Ronaldo commented on Instagram, alongside footage of the incident.
In sports news, Al Hilal maintained their lead in the Saudi Pro League (SPL) with a commanding 6-0 victory over Al Taawoun, highlighted by Gabriel Martinelli’s hat-trick and a brace from England’s Ollie Watkins.
