Brazilian superstar Neymar could not hold back tears after his boyhood club, Santos, were handed a humiliating 6-0 home defeat by Vasco da Gama—the heaviest loss of his professional career.
The thrashing on Sunday marked the first time in history that Santos conceded six goals at home in a Brazilian Serie A match. The result left the eight-time champions just two points above the relegation zone, deepening fears of a disastrous campaign.
Hours after the game, Santos sacked head coach Cleber Xavier, who had overseen a string of poor performances.
Former Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Philippe Coutinho was the star of the show, scoring twice as Vasco ended a six-match winless run to record their biggest league victory in 17 years.
An emotional Neymar admitted he was devastated by the collapse.
“I’m ashamed. I’m totally disappointed with our performance. The fans have every right to protest… our attitude on the field was terrible,” he said.
“I’ve never experienced this in my life. The tears were from anger, from everything. Unfortunately, I can’t help in every way.”
With the crisis mounting, Santos now face a difficult fight to stabilize their season and avoid slipping into the relegation zone for the first time in the club’s storied history.
