Al-Taawoun fans target Rúben Neves with chants referencing late teammate Diogo Jota

Match events and chanting in the stands

Al Hilal recorded a 6-0 away victory over Al-Taawoun on Saturday in a Saudi league match that was marked by incidents in the spectator seating. The confrontation took place during the run of play as Al Hilal midfielder Rúben Neves prepared to execute a direct free kick. Spectators supporting the home side initially booed and jeered the Portuguese international as he lined up over the ball. The reaction in the stands subsequently escalated as supporters began chanting the name of Diogo Jota in a direct attempt to provoke Neves. The chanting continued across the home section while Neves stood over the set piece before taking the kick. Al Hilal maintained their lead throughout the contest and finished with six unanswered goals, but the hostile behaviour from the stands became the central talking point of the fixture.

Neves responds on the pitch and in the mixed zone

Neves appeared visibly shaken and distressed on the pitch as the supporters continued chanting Jota's name. The Al Hilal midfielder turned toward the Al-Taawoun section to reproach the fans for their conduct. He pointed his finger toward the sky, gesturing to the crowd that God was watching their actions in the stadium. Neves maintained his focus to complete the fixture, which concluded in a comprehensive away win for his team. Following the final whistle, the Portuguese international addressed the situation during interviews in the stadium mixed zone, speaking directly about the moral conduct of the spectators who participated.

I only hope that they do not go to pray after what they have done... God has seen them.

Shared career at Wolverhampton and Portugal

The hostility directed at Neves referenced a deep personal friendship formed through years of competing alongside Jota at both club and international level. Both players represented Portugal as senior internationals and shared the pitch during numerous national team campaigns. They also spent multiple seasons together in English football as teammates at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. Their professional partnership in England and with the national squad developed into a close personal bond, making the midfielder a target for supporters attempting to disrupt his performance. The repeated chants sought to leverage that personal relationship during a competitive moment in the match.

Context of Diogo Jota's passing in Zamora

The chants made direct reference to the death of Diogo Jota, who passed away on 3 July 2025 following a traffic accident in Zamora, Spain. Jota was one of Neves' closest friends throughout his professional career, and the tragedy had deeply affected his former teammate. The match on Saturday marked an instance where rival fans used the fatal road accident to target an opposing player during a domestic league fixture. Al Hilal closed out the match with all six goals secured on the pitch, leaving Al-Taawoun defeated at home while the conduct of the home supporters drew critical attention across sports media.