This Sunday, Vasco da Gama handed Santos a crushing 6–0 loss on Matchday 20 of the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A. The result triggered a raw emotional response from Neymar Jr., who has recently been under the spotlight as the team’s performance continues to disappoint.
Ney’s second stint at Santos has so far been more negative than positive. The forward endured several injuries during his initial months back at the club, which prevented him from contributing his talent to lift the squad. And now that he’s recovered and playing with the consistency he hadn’t shown in years, both the results and the team’s overall performance remain poor.
That crisis likely reached its peak on Sunday, when Santos were beaten 6–0 at home by Vasco da Gama. The match started off relatively evenly, with the teams going into halftime separated by just one goal. However, the visitors stepped on the gas in the second half and fully exposed Santos’ weaknesses.
The referee’s final whistle delivered an image that quickly spread across the soccer world. As he walked off the pitch, Neymar was caught on camera with tears in his eyes and a clearly distraught expression, a telling sign of Santos’ difficult moment.
Neymar’s negative milestone after defeat to Vasco da Gama
Sunday’s clash with Vasco da Gama will be remembered as one of the toughest moments in the Brazilian star’s career. In fact, it marked the worst defeat Neymar has ever suffered in professional play, including both club and Brazil national team appearances.
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Neymar had never before lost an official match by a six-goal margin—or even by five. Before Sunday, the heaviest defeats in the forward’s career were a 4–0 loss with Santos against Barcelona in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final, and another 4–0 defeat with Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League.
Santos’ situation is increasingly dire
Sunday’s match was crucial for Santos. They’ve had a poor start to the Serie A season and are fighting to avoid relegation. That same battle includes their rivals Vasco da Gama, who began the day in the relegation zone.
However, Philippe Coutinho’s side climbed out of danger with the win, reaching 19 points—just two behind Santos. As of now, the relegation spots are occupied by Sport Recife (10), Fortaleza (15), Juventude (15), and Vitoria (19). Vasco da Gama (19) and Santos (21) know there’s no room for complacency, as the fight for survival is set to go down to the wire.
