Al Taawoun Punished for Mocking Diogo Jota's Death
Al Taawoun have been hit with a heavy punishment after a section of their supporters mocked the death of Portugal star Diogo Jota during a Saudi Pro League clash with Al Hilal.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) fined the club 100,000 riyals ($26,660) and ordered their next two league matches to be played behind closed doors, after fans were heard chanting Jota’s name at Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves.
Chants aimed at grieving Neves
The incident unfolded on Saturday, Sept. 12, during Al Hilal’s visit to Al Taawoun. As Neves stood over a free kick, footage shared widely on social media picked up chants of “Jota! Jota! Jota!” from sections of the home support.
Neves reacted instantly. He stopped, offered a slow, sarcastic applause and a thumbs up in the direction of the stands, then pointed to the sky before gesturing back at the fans — a clear acknowledgment that he understood exactly what they were doing.
For Neves, this was not just another taunt. He and Jota were close, having shared dressing rooms at Porto, Wolves and with the Portugal national team. Neves even served as a pallbearer at Jota’s funeral. The chants cut deep.
SAFF: ‘Exploiting personal tragedies is unacceptable’
SAFF moved quickly after the game, issuing a strong statement alongside the Saudi Professional League and confirming the sanctions against Al Taawoun.
“The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and the Saudi Professional League express their condemnation of the unacceptable behavior exhibited by some fans during the Al-Taawoun vs. Al-Hilal match in the seventh round of the Saudi Professional League. This behavior is contrary to the values of Saudi football and sportsmanship,” the federation said.
“SAFF and the League emphasize that exploiting personal tragedies to incite or provoke is unacceptable and has no place in Saudi football.”
The governing body’s response underlined a clear line: passion is welcome, targeted cruelty is not.
Ronaldo demands lifetime bans
The incident did not stay confined to the stadium. It spilled onto global platforms when Al Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo, a teammate of both Neves and Jota with Portugal, weighed in on Instagram.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behavior,” Ronaldo wrote, before going further.
“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.”
His comments added significant weight to the backlash, putting the league’s handling of fan conduct firmly in the global spotlight.
Al Taawoun distance themselves from fans
Al Taawoun also moved to distance the club from the chanting, issuing their own statement after the match.
“Such behavior is completely unacceptable and does not represent Al Taawoun Club, its fans, or the values for which the club’s stands are known,” the club said.
“Sports competition cannot be a justification for insulting, belittling, or bullying others at the expense of anyone’s feelings.”
The punishment means Al Taawoun will now host two league fixtures in an empty stadium — a visible, audible reminder of the line their supporters crossed, and a warning to the rest of the league about where that line now stands.
