The incident occurred during a temporary stoppage in the match between Al Taawoun and Al Hilal. Some spectators felt it necessary to chant Jota's name towards Al Hilal player Ruben Neves, who was visibly upset by the provocation. Neves, a close friend of Jota's, responded with sarcastic applause, while Ronaldo, also active in Saudi Arabia, has called for harsh punishments to be handed out to the supporters.
Ronaldo believes that the competition must take action against such behaviour and that those responsible should be barred from entering stadiums. He wrote on social media, "The competition must act and punish this kind of behaviour from supporters. This is no longer football and there must be boundaries. People who behave like this should never be allowed into a stadium again."
Neves was visibly shaken after the match, saying, "I hope these people, after what they've done, don't go to pray." The incident has sparked a heated debate about the need for stricter punishments for supporters who engage in such behaviour.
The match between Al Taawoun and Al Hilal is set to continue, with the outcome still uncertain.