Dubai: There aren’t many friendships in football that hold visibly strong bold. The relation between Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves is one such example where their brotherhood is so strong that even the rival fans would use it against them.
Al Taawoun vented their 6-0 loss frustration against Neves’ Al Hilal by chanting his late friend’s name against him. But why did they do so?
Both men were born few months from each other. They developed a strong bond during their time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where they became key figures in the team.
Their chemistry on the field gave Wolves one of their best seasons after returning to Premier League. Neves held the midfield together, providing key passes to Jota. The forward eventually joined Liverpool in 2020, but the duo continued showing their chemistry while playing for Portugal national team.
Their brotherhood was adorable as they continued making videos together through their social media profiles. Neves was left alone after Jota’s death in a car accident on 3 July 2025. The midfielder struggled to control his tears while mourning for his late friend during Al Hilal’s FIFA Club World Cup game against Fluminense.
Neves even travelled to Anfield to attend Liverpool’s tribute to Jota. He served as the pallbearer at the forward’s funeral and even inherited his No. 21 shirt for the Portugal national team. Neves continues to support Jota’s widow and his three kids, acting as a father and godfather figure to the children.
The midfielder inked a new tattoo on his calf last year, honouring his late friend. With such strong bond, a chant of Jota is quite offensive for Neves. Even fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo found the action from Al Taawoun fans demeaning, asking the Saudi Pro League (SPL) to ban the fans chanting the name.
While the punishment from the SPL is yet to be announced, taking a jibe at Neves using Jota is very unethical. Neves continues to showcase his late friend’s legacy through his football career.
