¡Exemplary sanction! Al Taawoun banned for 2 games over Diogo Jota taunts | OneFootball

Al Taawoun received a harsh punishment after its fans chanted against the late Diogo Jota. The Saudi Football Federation ruled that the club must play its next two home Saudi Pro League matches behind closed doors, in addition to paying a fine of 100,000 riyals, equivalent to about $26,660.

The sanction came after Al Taawoun fans were recorded chanting the name of the former Liverpool and Portugal national team striker during the match against Al Hilal at King Abdullah Sport City.

The chants prompted a reaction from Rúben Neves

The episode indirectly centered on Rúben Neves, an Al Hilal player and one of Jota’s closest friends.

Images shared on social media show the Portuguese player reacting to the chants with seemingly sarcastic applause and a thumbs-up gesture. He later pointed to the sky and then to one of his eyes before gesturing toward the area where the voices were coming from.

After the match, Neves did not hide his annoyance.

The match ended in a commanding 6-0 victory for Al Hilal.

The friendship between Neves and Jota

Neves’s reaction carries greater meaning because of the relationship he had with Jota for years.

Both came through the youth ranks of Portugal and Porto, later became teammates at Wolverhampton, and built a close friendship.

After Jota and his brother died in a car accident in Zamora, Spain, in July 2025, Neves was one of the pallbearers at the funeral.

In addition, the midfielder inherited the Portugal national team’s number 21 shirt, previously worn by Jota.

Cristiano Ronaldo also called for sanctions

The controversy also drew a reaction from Cristiano Ronaldo, who shared the dressing room with Jota on the Portuguese national team.

The Al Nassr forward called for a much harsher punishment for the fans involved and raised the possibility of banning them from stadiums for life.

Ronaldo also said that the league had to act against this kind of behavior.

The Saudi Federation confirmed the punishment

The Discipline and Ethics Committee of the Saudi Football Federation determined that Al Taawoun fans violated Article 51-2 of its regulations.

The ruling imposes two home matches behind closed doors and a financial fine of 100,000 riyals.

According to the decision, the punishment is final and cannot be appealed.

Al Taawoun will have to play its next two home matches without fans, as the controversy over the chants against Diogo Jota ends with an official sanction from Saudi football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.