Al-Hilal files a complaint against Al-Taawoun fans due to insulting chants towards Neves

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(CNN) - On Sunday, Al-Hilal Club issued a statement announcing the filing of a complaint with the Saudi Football Federation against some Al-Taawoun Club fans after chanting slogans described as “offensive” towards its player Ruben Neves.

Users of the “X” platform shared a video that showed some fans chanting the name of the late Portuguese player Diogo Jota during the match between “Crescent Blue” and its host, Al-Taawoun, in an attempt to provoke Neves, who seemed angry after hearing that.

Jota, who died in July 2025 in a car accident at the age of 28, was a close friend of Ruben Neves, and they played together for the English club Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Portuguese national team.

Al Hilal Club said in its statement: “This behavior is inconsistent with sporting values ​​and ethics, and goes beyond the limits of competition and encouragement in sports stadiums.”

He added: "The club affirms its complete rejection of such violations, especially those that affect players or their families or aim to offend them on a personal level, stressing the importance of providing a sports environment that preserves respect and dignity for all elements of the game, and pointing out that sports competition, no matter how intense, cannot be a justification for harming the humanitarian and personal circumstances of players, or exploiting feelings of loss as a means of provocation and abuse."

He continued: “The club began taking legal measures by filing a complaint with the Saudi Federation about what happened, in a way that preserves the rights of the club and its players, and ensures that such violations are dealt with in accordance with the rules and regulations.”

The club, which is active in the “Roshen” League, continued: “The club expresses its confidence in the Saudi Federation and the measures it is taking to ensure the protection of sports competition from abusive practices, and the promotion of the values ​​of respect and sportsmanship in Saudi stadiums, especially in light of the widespread international circulation of this precedent, and the negative repercussions that such practices may have that are not compatible with the development and growing presence that the Saudi sports project is witnessing on the global level.”

There has been no comment from the Football Association in the Kingdom or Al-Taawoun Club regarding this incident yet.