The fact that Santos FC was relegated to the Brasileirao for the first time in its history was a huge blow not only for the fans, but also for the same club that had decided to take radical measures in the second division. Among them, the removal of Pelé's historic “10” stands out, a request that others also joined Neymar Junioras the president of Peixe revealed.
Marcelo Teixeira, coach of Santos FC, confirmed in a press conference that the current Al Hilal footballer called him to not only ban the use of “10” but also remove the number “11” until his return .
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What did the president of Santos FC say about Neymar Junior?
“On Sunday evening I received a call from Neymar after the relegation. In that call he asked me that since we had taken the '10' for relegation, we should also remove the 11 because he would return,” explained Marcelo Teixeira.
This request was well received by the boss. “Neymar has asked to keep the '11' until he returns to the club. We really hope to have him at Santos. It will be an honor to have back the star we shaped. The '11' will be removed until he returns.” “People are waiting for his return and I hope we can return to the first division to have Neymar back,” he added.
Neymar's request. Photo: Diario Olé
When will Neymar return to Santos FC?
It should be noted that the return of Neymar Santos FC won't be there anytime soon: not only because he suffered a torn ligament that will keep him off the field for almost ten months, but he has also signed a contract with Al-Hilal for two seasons.
How many goals did Neymar score at Santos FC?
Neymar made his debut for Santos FC in 2009. During his four seasons with the Brazilian club, the star played 139 games, scored 72 goals and provided 37 assists.