Cristiano Ronaldo publicly expressed his support for Rúben Neves, player from Al Hilal, after rival fans used Diogo Jota's name as provocation during a match. Ronaldo, who also plays in Saudi Arabia for Al Nassr, showed solidarity with his Portuguese teammate.
The episode occurred when opposing fans started chanting the name of Diogo Jota, player from Liverpool and teammate of both Ronaldo and Rúben Neves for the national team, in a clear attempt to provoke the Portuguese players present at the match.
In his statements, Cristiano Ronaldo was incisive in his position, stating that these fans "should never be allowed back into a stadium." The Al Nassr player thus made a clear appeal for severe punishments to be applied to those who resort to this type of provocation.
This is not the first time Diogo Jota has been used as provocation by fans in Saudi Arabia, which highlights a concerning pattern of toxic behavior by some sectors of the fan base. Ronaldo, through his statements, sought to defend the values of sport and the respect that should exist both on and off the field.
