Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo has sparked controversy in the football world with his demand for lifetime bans to be issued to fans who chanted the late Diogo Jota's name towards international team-mate Ruben Neves. The incident occurred during Al-Hilal's 6-0 win against Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, where supporters repeatedly shouted 'Jota' at Neves, a midfielder for Al-Hilal and Portugal.
The chant is believed to have been directed towards Neves, who was visibly affected by the incident. In response, he sarcastically applauded a section of fans off-camera before pointing to the sky and then looking towards them. After the match, Neves expressed his disappointment, saying, 'I just hope they don't go to pray later after what they did.'
Ronaldo, who also plays in the Saudi league for Al-Nassr, has taken to social media to express his outrage over the incident. He wrote, 'The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behaviour. 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.'
This is not the first time that Ronaldo has spoken out against fan behavior. As a prominent figure in the football world, he has consistently advocated for respect and sportsmanship among fans.
The incident has sparked a wider debate about fan behavior and the need for stricter measures to be put in place. Neves, who wore the number 21 shirt for Portugal in Jota's memory and has a tattoo of him on his calf, was visibly affected by the chant.
Jota died in a car crash at the age of 28 last year, along with his brother Andre Silva. He had played for Liverpool after signing from Wolves in 2020 and made his international debut in 2019, scoring 14 goals in 49 games for Portugal.
