Brazilian star Neymar Jr was left in tears on Sunday after Santos suffered a humiliating 6–0 defeat to Vasco da Gama, the heaviest loss of his career.
The high-stakes Serie A clash saw both sides battling relegation, but while Neymar struggled to make an impact for Santos, Philippe Coutinho inspired Vasco to a dominant victory. The result leaves Santos stuck on 21 points in 15th place, hovering dangerously above the drop zone.
Neymar’s misery deepened as he picked up his third yellow card of the season, ruling him out of the club’s next crucial fixture against Bahia. In the aftermath, head coach Cleber Xavier was sacked by the board, underlining the crisis engulfing the team.
Overcome with emotion, the 32-year-old forward admitted he was “embarrassed” by the performance.
“I’m totally disappointed. The fans have every right to protest as long as it’s without violence. If they want to curse or insult us, it’s within their rights,” Neymar told reporters.
Calling the defeat “an extreme shame,” he explained his visible frustration. “The tears were from anger, from everything. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help at all. Honestly, it was total crap that’s the reality.”
