Cristiano Ronaldo has called on the Saudi Pro League to issue lifetime stadium bans to supporters who taunted Rúben Neves with chants about the late Diogo Jota during a match on Saturday. Jota was killed alongside his brother in a car crash in Zamora, Spain, in July 2025. Both Neves and Ronaldo were international teammates of Jota.

Footage shows Neves reacting to audible chants of "Jota, Jota, Jota" at Al Taawoun's home stadium by sarcastically applauding and pointing to the sky and his eye before gesturing toward the chanting crowd. After the match, Neves told reporters, "I just hope they don't go to pray later after what they did." Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr and has earned Portugal caps alongside Neves and Jota, urged the league to punish such behavior, stating, "People who behave like this should never be allowed to enter a stadium again." Neves and Jota grew close through Portugal youth teams, Porto, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, where Neves was a pallbearer at Jota's funeral and inherited his No. 21 shirt. Al Hilal won 6-0 over Al Taawoun, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a hat trick and Ollie Watkins netting a brace, retaining top spot in the Saudi Pro League.