Cristiano Ronaldo calls for Saudi fans to be banned after Diogo Jota chants

Cristiano Ronaldo has urged the Saudi Pro League to ban any fans that chanted about his former Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota during a match. Pic: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images.

Cristiano Ronaldo has urged the Saudi Pro League to ban any fans that chanted about his former Portugal team-mate Diogo Jota during a match between Al-Taawoun and Al-Hilal on Saturday night.

Al Nassr forward Ronaldo was not involved but compatriot Ruben Neves featured for Al-Hilal and footage on social media showed the former Wolves midfielder gesturing to the sky after audible chants of “Jota” could be heard.

Jota died in the summer of 2025 along with his brother Andre Silva following a car crash in Zamora and Neves was one of the pallbearers at his funeral.

Al-Hilal won Saturday’s fixture by a 6-0 score and Ronaldo later commented on footage of the incident on Instagram.

“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour,” Ronaldo said in a comment on the social media website.

“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.”