Neymar Jr. walked off the field in tears after Santos FC suffered a humiliating 6-0 defeat against Vasco Da Gama in Brazil’s top flight, marking the most embarrassing failure of his career. This was Santos FC’s biggest defeat ever, and the first time the club had conceded six goals in a single Brazilian Serie A match. Despite being eight-time Brazilian champions and having Neymar Jr. on their roster, Santos is currently struggling, just two points above the distant zone. Following the crushing loss, coach Cleber Xavier was fired by the club within hours.
Vasco Da Gama’s midfielder Philippe Coutebre, a former Liverpool and Aston Villa player, scored two goals, securing Vasco Da Gama’s first victory in their last six matches and marking the club’s largest win in 17 years.
Neymar Jr. expressed profound disappointment following the game, which also saw fans protesting and demanding immediate solutions from the club. “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 today, and what they want to do next,” Neymar Jr., 33, told journalists in an audio statement after the match.
Neymar Jr. is known for the most expensive transfer in football history, moving from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for EUR 222 million in 2017. He had reportedly returned to Santos FC this new season after terminating his contract with Al Hilal due to frequent injuries. Since his return, Neymar has made 12 appearances, providing 6 assists.
