Cristiano Ronaldo has called for lifetime bans for fans who subjected Al-Hilal's Rúben Neves to chants referencing Diogo Jota during a Saudi Pro League match. The chants occurred on Saturday during a fixture between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. Ronaldo, who played alongside Jota with the Portugal national team, commented on an Instagram post showing the chants, calling for the league to take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour.
The chants, which appeared to reference Jota's death in a car crash last year, were met with a response from Neves, who pointed to his eye and then up to the sky in response. In the mixed zone after the game, Neves said: "I hope they don’t go to pray afterwards." The game finished 6-0 to Al-Hilal, with Neves playing 75 minutes before being substituted. Rúben Neves was a close friend of Diogo Jota and was a pallbearer at his funeral.
Ronaldo's comments come as a response to the growing issue of fan behaviour in the Saudi Pro League. The league has faced criticism in the past for its handling of fan conduct, and Ronaldo's call for lifetime bans is a clear indication that he believes something needs to be done to address the issue. The Saudi Pro League has yet to comment on the incident, but it is clear that Ronaldo's comments will put pressure on the league to take action.