After Al‑Taawoun’s 6‑0 victory over Al‑Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, supporters repeatedly shouted “Jota” at Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves, who was a close friend of the late Liverpool striker Diogo Jota. Jota died in a car crash in July last year, and Neves now wears the number 21 shirt and has a tattoo of the two men together.
Portugal star Cr Cristiano Ronaldo, who also plays for Al‑Nassr, posted on social media that the league must punish such behaviour, saying “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.”
Al‑Taawoun and Al‑Nassr both condemned the chants, with Al‑Taawoun stating the conduct was “completely unacceptable.” The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and the Saudi Pro League issued a joint statement condemning the fans’ actions as inconsistent with sportsmanship and investigating the incident.
Neves, who appeared to sarcastically applaud the fans before pointing to the sky, told reporters after the match that he hoped they would not “go to pray later after what they did.” The incident has sparked a broader debate over fan conduct and the protection of players’ personal tragedies.
