It was a night of agony and despair for Santos, the Brazilian club that once boasted the greatest player of all time, Pele. In a cruel twist of fate, they were relegated to the second division for the first time in their history, just days before the first anniversary of his death. Santos succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Fortaleza, in front of their stunned fans at the Vila Belmiro stadium. The final whistle confirmed their worst nightmare, as they joined the ranks of the fallen giants of Brazilian football.
Santos, the coastal city team that once ruled the waves of Brazilian football, sank to the depths of despair as they were relegated from the top division for the first time in their history. A dismal run of five games without a win left them stranded in 17th place, with 43 points. They were the last of the three clubs, along with Sao Paulo and Flamengo, that had never tasted the bitterness of relegation. But their proud record was shattered by a 2-1 defeat to Fortaleza, in a match that sealed their fate.
Late Brazilian great Pele helped Santos become one of the most famous clubs in world football, the side enjoying a golden era in the 1950s and 1960s that saw it win 10 state and six Brazilian league titles.
It also lifted the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League, in 1962 and 1963, the same years it won the Intercontinental Cup, the trophy played for by the top teams from Europe and South America.
In addition to Pele, Santos has produced a host of outstanding players such as former AC Milan striker Robinho, Brazil’s top scorer Neymar and Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.
