Neymar Jr. left the field in tears after Santos FC suffered a devastating 6-0 loss to Vasco da Gama in Brazil’s top league. The defeat was described as the most embarrassing failure of his career and a historic low for Santos, an eight-time Brazilian champion, as the club had never conceded so many goals in a Serie A match.
Currently struggling near the bottom of the league despite having Neymar Jr. on the team, Santos’ humiliating performance led to the immediate firing of coach Cleber Xavier just hours after the game.
Vasco da Gama midfielder Philippe Coutinho, formerly of Liverpool and Aston Villa, scored two goals, helping his team secure their first victory in six matches and their biggest win in 17 years.
Neymar Jr.’s performance and the team’s overall play left fans deeply disappointed, with many protesting for 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 and what they want to do next,” a visibly emotional Neymar Jr. told journalists after the match.
Neymar, known for his record-breaking €222 million transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, recently returned to Santos FC this season after terminating his contract with Al Hilal due to frequent injuries. In his 12 appearances for Santos this mid-season, he has scored 6 goals and provided 6 assists.
