Santos suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in its recent history this Sunday. In the twentieth round of the Brasileirão, the team from São Paulo fell 0-6 to Vasco da Gama at a packed Morumbis with more than 53,000 spectators (53,000). What began with hope ended in total desolation.
The scoreline not only left Santos wounded in the standings.
It also left an image no one will forget: Neymar, with his face hidden under his jersey, broken in tears after the final whistle. The Brazilian star, who was starting six consecutive matches again after overcoming injuries, couldn't hold back his frustration. "We can't let them score six goals against us, it's a shame," he declared.
The reunion with Coutinho
The story had an unexpected protagonist: Philippe Coutinho, former Barça player and Neymar's close friend. While Ney disappeared in frustration, Coutinho excelled as he did on his best nights. He scored two goals, was chosen as the best player of the match, and led a Vasco side that played with ambition and efficiency.
The contrast between the two was cruel. Neymar barely left a spark: a backheel assist that ended in a goal disallowed for offside. It was far too little for someone looking to regain prominence and be considered again by Carlo Ancelotti's national team. Meanwhile, Coutinho left the field to a standing ovation, reminding everyone that he still has plenty of football left in his boots.
A rout with consequences
The 0-6 is not just a statistic. It was Neymar's biggest defeat and Santos's worst home loss in the history of the Brasileirão. A historic blow.
The fans experienced it with anger and resignation. For much of the second half, they turned their backs in the stands, showing their backs to the team. Some even applauded Vasco's plays, in a gesture of protest and pain.
The board reacted quickly. Hours after the disaster, the club announced the dismissal of coach Cleber Xavier, who had only been in charge for 15 matches. Santos, with 21 points and in fifteenth place, is on the edge of the abyss, fighting to avoid relegation.
The most intimate comfort
When tears seemed to overwhelm Neymar, a gesture came that gave him some relief. His 13-year-old son, Davi Lucca, wrote a message that the forward shared on social media: "You're my inspiration... don't use today's defeat as a failure, use it as motivation to be better than yesterday."
The number 10 replied affectionately: "Dad will recover."
A simple but powerful exchange. Beyond the sporting humiliation, Neymar remembered that what keeps him going is not just the ball, but his closest bonds.
Santos will have to get back up quickly if it doesn't want to make the wound worse. Neymar, despite the worst rout, can still turn his tears into a new beginning.