Santos, the historic Brazilian football club synonymous with Pele’s legacy, faced a significant blow on Wednesday as they suffered their first-ever relegation to the second division.
In a final league match against Fortaleza, Santos fell 2-1 at home, marking their descent to the “B Series” league for the upcoming season.
Despite being the home turf of football icons like Pele and Neymar, Santos concluded a disappointing season in the 17th position with 43 points.
Their fate was sealed, trailing just one point behind Bahia, who narrowly escaped relegation with a 4-1 victory over Atletico Mineiro. Santos also lagged significantly behind Palmeiras, the reigning league champions, finishing 27 points adrift.
Meanwhile, Gremio, led by Luis Suarez, unexpectedly clinched second place with 68 points after a compelling 3-2 triumph over Fluminense, thanks to a brace by the Uruguayan forward.
This relegation for Santos comes less than a year following the passing of Pele, the revered three-time World Cup winner, who died on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82.
Santos’s downfall reflects prolonged challenges, both financially and athletically, and stands as a stark contrast to Flamengo and Sao Paulo, the only Brazilian clubs never to experience relegation.
