Neymar Jr. walked off the field in tears after Santos FC suffered a humiliating 6-0 defeat to Vasco Da Gama in the Brazilian Serie A, marking the most embarrassing failure of his career. This 6-0 scoreline was a historic low for Santos FC, the first time the club conceded six goals in a league match.
Eight-time Brazilian champions Santos FC currently struggles near the bottom of the league table, despite having Neymar Jr. on their roster. Following the devastating loss, coach Cleber Xavier was promptly fired by the club within hours of the match.
Vasco Da Gama midfielder Philippe Coutebre, a player who has represented Liverpool and Aston Villa, contributed two goals. His performance secured Vasco Da Gama’s first victory in six matches and their biggest win in 17 years.
Neymar Jr.’s performance fueled widespread disappointment among the team and fans, leading to protests for immediate club action. In a post-match interview, Neymar Jr. expressed his deep frustration: “I have never seen this before in my life. Unfortunately, I can’t help anything. I think everyone today should go home and sleep, thinking about what happened and what they want to do next.”
Neymar, who still holds the record as the most expensive player in football history following his EUR 222 million transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, recently returned to Santos FC this season. He rejoined after terminating his contract with Al Hilal due to frequent injuries. Since his mid-season return, Neymar has made 12 appearances, contributing 6 assists.
