Santos captain Neymar couldn’t hold back his emotions after his team suffered a crushing 6–0 defeat at home to Vasco da Gama on Sunday. The shocking scoreline has left the club spiraling even further into trouble.
The forward, who made his return to Santos earlier this year following a difficult stint in Saudi Arabia, broke down in tears after the final whistle at Estádio do Morumbi. Vasco dominated from start to finish, with goals from Piton, David, Rayan, Tchê Tchê, and two from Philippe Coutinho—his brace sealing the humiliation.
For Neymar, it was the heaviest loss of his career and the first time Santos has ever conceded six goals at home in a Serie A match.
“We were terrible. A disgrace,” he admitted in a post-match interview. “The fans are right to be angry. I feel ashamed. I’ve never gone through something like this before.”
He didn’t stop there, adding: “Our attitude on the field was unacceptable. The supporters have every reason to protest—as long as it’s peaceful. But if they want to vent with insults, they’re not wrong. What we showed today was awful.”
The result leaves Santos hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, sitting just two points clear after only six wins in their first 19 games.
The fallout was swift. Within 30 minutes of the final whistle, the club confirmed the dismissal of head coach Cleber Xavier. In a brief announcement, Santos thanked the 61-year-old, who had only taken charge in April in his first head coaching role, and wished him well in the future.
