Al Taawoun Fined and Punished After Mocking Diogo Jota
Al Taawoun have been hit with a 100,000 riyal fine and ordered to play their next two league games behind closed doors after a section of their supporters mocked the late Portugal forward Diogo Jota during a Saudi Pro League clash with Al Hilal.
The incident unfolded on Saturday, September 12, with Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves standing over a free kick at Al Taawoun’s ground. As he prepared to strike the ball, chants of “Jota! Jota! Jota!” rang out from parts of the home end, footage of which quickly spread across social media.
Neves heard every word. He responded with a slow, sarcastic applause and a thumbs up, then lifted his hand to the sky before pointing back toward the fans — a clear, pointed acknowledgment of the taunts.
For Neves, it cut deeper than a routine bit of crowd noise. He and Jota had grown up in the game together, sharing dressing rooms at Porto, Wolves and with the Portugal national team. When Jota died, Neves served as a pallbearer at his funeral. This was not just an opponent’s name being chanted. It was a friend.
SAFF: ‘Exploiting personal tragedies is unacceptable’
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation moved quickly after the final whistle. In a joint statement with the Saudi Professional League, the governing body condemned what it called “unacceptable behavior” from some Al Taawoun fans.
“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 statement read.
“SAFF and the League emphasize that exploiting personal tragedies to incite or provoke is unacceptable and has no place in Saudi football.”
The punishment was swift and severe: a 100,000 riyal financial penalty and two home league fixtures to be played without supporters. A clear message, delivered in the starkest terms the competition can offer.
Ronaldo weighs in
The incident did not stay confined to the stadium. It spilled onto global platforms once the clips surfaced online, drawing a furious reaction from one of the league’s biggest stars.
Cristiano Ronaldo, now with Al Nassr and a former teammate of both Neves and Jota for Portugal, publicly backed calls for tough sanctions. Commenting on an Instagram post documenting the chants, Ronaldo did not hold back.
“The league must take action and punish this kind of fan behavior,” he said. “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.”
When a figure of Ronaldo’s stature speaks in those terms, it adds weight to any disciplinary move. Here, it aligned with the federation’s stance: there are lines that cannot be crossed, no matter the rivalry.
Al Taawoun distance themselves from fans
Al Taawoun themselves moved to distance the club from the chants, issuing a statement after the match that echoed the tone of condemnation coming from the authorities.
“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 club now face the immediate sporting impact of an empty stadium for two league games, stripped of home support at a time when the Saudi Pro League’s profile and intensity continue to rise.
In a league built on big names and high stakes, this episode cuts through the noise. The message from players, clubs and officials is blunt: passion is welcome, cruelty is not.
