Santos Routed 6–0 by Coutinho’s Vasco da Gama as Neymar Breaks Down in Tears

Neymar Jr in Tears as Santos Suffer Historic 6–0 Defeat to Coutinho’s Vasco da Gama  

In one of the most shocking results of the Brazilian Serie A season, Santos endured a humiliating 6–0 loss to Vasco da Gama on Sunday — the heaviest defeat of Neymar Jr’s professional career.  

The match, billed as a crucial relegation battle, quickly turned into a nightmare for Santos. Philippe Coutinho, Neymar’s long-time Brazil teammate, delivered a masterclass for Vasco, scoring twice and orchestrating a relentless attacking display. Goals from Lucas Piton, David Correa de Fonseca, Rayan, and Danilo Neves completed the rout.  

Santos, who began the day just above the drop zone, were left reeling. The result not only deepened their relegation fears but also triggered immediate off-field consequences — head coach Cléber Xavier was dismissed moments after the final whistle.  

Visibly distraught, Neymar left the pitch in tears and had to be consoled by staff. Speaking to reporters, the 33-year-old did not hide his frustration:  

“I’m embarrassed. I’m totally disappointed with our performance. The fans have every right to protest… It’s an extreme shame. I had never experienced something like this in my life,” he said, adding that his tears were “from anger, from everything”.  

The defeat also came with a personal setback for Neymar, who picked up his third yellow card of the season, ruling him out of Santos’ next match against Bahia.  

Until now, the forward’s heaviest losses had been by four goals — notably the 4–0 defeat with Santos against Barcelona in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final, and another 4–0 loss with Barcelona to PSG in the 2017 Champions League.  

Santos now sit 15th in the table with 21 points, just above the relegation zone, while Vasco’s emphatic win lifts them out of immediate danger.