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Just under a year ago, Pelé died in Sao Paulo, one of the best players in the history of football and symbol of Santos, a Brazilian club which in the 1950s and 1960s he had made one of the most important in the country and in South America. The 2023 Brazilian championship ended on Wednesday, won by Palmeiras and called in this edition “Brasileirao Rei” in homage to him (Pelé was known as KingThe King): but on the last day, losing 2-1 at home to Fortaleza, Santos was relegated for the first time in its 111-year history.
Santos was one of three Brazilian teams to have never dropped in category: now only Flamengo and Sao Paulo remain. The outcome of the championship was greeted with anger by the fans, who first tried to invade the pitch, then during the night they set fire to some cars and buses.
Santos experienced its golden era during Pelé’s career, when thanks to a program of exhibition matches it had become the team that everyone in the world wanted to see. But even in subsequent eras it remained at the top of Brazilian football, above all thanks to the talents grown in its youth sector. First Diego and Robinho, then Neymar contributed to Santos’ winning seasons, in Brazil but also in the Copa Libertadores, equivalent to our Champions League. The current striker of Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team Rodrygo is another of the so-called boys from the villagethe boys from Vila Belmiro (name of the Santos stadium): in 2019 it was sold for 45 million euros.
(Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)
For some years, however, Santos has been experiencing a profound financial and results crisis: the last victory, in the Sao Paulo state championship, dates back to 2016, while the last national title dates back to 2004. The one just concluded was the worst year of the its history: it began with very early eliminations in the Paulista championship (the tournament of the state of Sao Paulo which complements the national one), in the Brazilian cup and in the Sudamericana (corresponding to the Europa League). Even in the championship the results were disappointing almost immediately, and after the first round Santos were already in the last places in the standings.
Despite some reinforcements arriving from the transfer market and four different coaches who followed one another during the season, the situation did not change and in August came a sensational defeat of 7 to 1 against Internacional of Porto Alegre.
Santos have been relegated for the first time in their history, and their supporters are a tad upset.
— These Football Times (@thesefootytimes) December 7, 2023
However, Santos started the last day of the championship in fifth from last place (in Brazil the last four are relegated) and a victory against Fortaleza would have been enough to not depend on the results of the other teams involved in the fight for survival: instead they went behind and equalized only after an hour of play. The simultaneous victories of Vasco and Bahia forced him to win, but in the last minute a goal from Fortaleza arrived, almost from midfield. Fans then began invading the pitch and the match was closed by the referee.
#GREAT GOAL ????
???????? Santos 1️⃣ ???? 2️⃣ Fortaleza ????????
⚽️ LuceroBRAZILIAN ????????
FINAL ROUND#SANxFORpic.twitter.com/BBSGWjyBG5— Cruzou é Gol – Official (@cruzouegol1) December 7, 2023
But Santos’ problems are not just linked to results: the club has accumulated the equivalent of almost 150 million euros in debt and president Andres Rueda’s management, which began in 2021, was considered a failure even before the relegation. During his tenure, nine coaches took turns as Santos and the club was also at the center of some scandals. In June he fired defender Eduardo Bauermann, who was involved in an investigation into match betting: some recordings of phone calls had emerged in which he agreed to get a warning or an expulsion in exchange for money (although without fully succeeding).
In August Paulo Roberto Falcao, who had been one of the most important executives of the company for almost a year, resigned also following a complaint of sexual harassment by an employee of a hotel where he was hosted (the case was later dismissed due to lack of evidence).
The relegation will be the last act of Rueda’s sports management: the elections of the new president are scheduled for Saturday 9 December (the members vote, as happens for many football teams in South America and some in Spain). The new president will also have to decide whether to proceed with the planned renovation of the Vila Belmiro stadium, which was due to begin in 2024 and will cost the equivalent of at least 60 million euros. Relegation to Serie B, with the reduction in revenue, could call it into question.
– Read also: Why Pelé was so important
2023-12-07 13:55:30
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