Shock! Why is Neymar crying bitterly?

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. was left devastated and in floods of tears on the pitch after Santos endured a humiliating 6-0 home defeat to Vasco da Gama in the Brazilian Serie A on Sunday.

It was a result that marked the worst loss of his illustrious career and triggered the immediate sacking of head coach Cleber Xavier.

The match at Vila Belmiro stadium turned into a nightmare for Santos, with Vasco’s Philippe Coutinho, Neymar’s former Brazil teammate, scoring twice to spearhead the rout.

The visitors dominated from start to finish, exposing Santos’ defensive frailties and leaving the home side reeling.

This crushing blow dropped Santos to 15th in the 20-team league standings, just two points above the relegation zone, intensifying fears of another demotion for the club that once nurtured legends like Pelé.

Neymar, 33, who rejoined his boyhood club in January 2025 after a lackluster stint with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, struggled to make an impact and was visibly shattered as the final whistle blew.

Consoled by a member of Santos’ backroom staff, the winger broke down in tears, later describing the performance as “a piece of s*** and a shame.”

In a raw post-match interview, Neymar admitted, “The crying was for being upset, for everything. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help in any way. We were (expletive), that’s the reality.”

He defended fans’ right to protest, saying, “Fans have the right to all types of protests, obviously without going over the line. But they have the right to curse, to offend. It’s a feeling of a lot of shame, I had never gone through this in my life, but unfortunately it happened.”

The defeat, Neymar’s heaviest ever, highlighted his ongoing challenges in restoring Santos to glory since signing a contract extension in June that ties him to the club until year’s end.

In the aftermath, Santos swiftly axed coach Cleber Xavier, who had only taken charge in April.

The club released a statement thanking him for his services and wishing him well, but the move underscores the mounting pressure on a team fighting for survival.