“Santos will remain Santos”: after 111 years, historic relegation for the Brazilian club, Neymar in support

2023-12-08 12:25:37

It’s a real earthquake for Brazilian football. After 111 years in the first division, Santos, the club that saw Pelé and Neymar grow up, was relegated to the second division.

The fault of a last day with a disaster scenario for this legendary team, 15th, ahead of Vasco and Bahia, at the end of the penultimate day. Their 2-1 defeat at home to Fortaleza combined with the victories of their two rivals for maintenance ended up condemning them to play in the second division for the first time in their history next year.

Throughout the matches played simultaneously, each of the three teams in the race for maintenance occupied 17th place at one point in the evening, synonymous with relegation. This was the case for Vasco ten minutes from the end of his match against Bragantino, but Serginho headed in the goal which will allow Dimitri Payet to play again in the elite of Brazilian football next season.

For Santos, relegation is all the more cruel as it comes less than a year after the death of the man who made this club famous throughout the world, “King” Pelé, who died on December 29, 2022. A shock which angered supporters who tried to invade the pitch of the Santos stadium without success, before triggering riots in the city. Cars and buses were burned.

Forever linked to the club that he exploded in the eyes of the general public before joining Barcelona, ​​Neymar did not hesitate to show his support on social networks. “Santos will remain Santos,” he wrote on Instagram alongside photos of himself in the club jersey from his debut.