The return of club icon Neymar generated massive excitement at Santos, but the on-field results have failed to match the hype. Now, the Brazilian legend has suffered his first major setback since rejoining the club, as head coach Pedro Caixinha has officially been relieved of his duties.
The decision was announced on Monday, less than 24 hours after a 1-0 stoppage-time defeat to Fluminense in Matchday 3 of the Brasileirao. Caixinha, who never fully won over the fanbase, saw his position become untenable after a winless start to the league campaign, recording just one draw and two losses.
Notably, the Fluminense match marked Neymar’s return to action after more than a month on the sidelines. His last appearance came during the Campeonato Paulista quarterfinals against RB Bragantino, a game in which he picked up a knock that sidelined him from Brazil’s international fixtures.
Santos confirmed the news in an official statement posted on X: “Santos Futebol Clube announces that head coach Pedro Caixinha is no longer in charge of the first team. Along with him, assistant coaches Pedro Malta and Jose Pratas, fitness coach Guilherme Gomes, and goalkeeping coach Jose Belman are also leaving the club. Assistant coach Cesar Sampaio will take over on an interim basis. The board thanks the coach for his work and wishes him success in the next steps of his career.”
Caixinha was hired in December 2023 but lasted just 112 days at the helm. In 17 games across all competitions, the Portuguese manager posted a record of 6 wins, 4 draws, and 7 losses. His exit continues a turbulent trend for Santos, making him the club’s 12th coach since 2020. His replacement will be the 13th in under five years.
Familiar faces emerge as potential replacements
Now sitting at the bottom of Brazil’s top flight, Santos are under pressure to quickly turn their season around—especially with Neymar back in the lineup. A number of high-profile names are already being linked to the vacant position.
According to Globo Esporte, club executives have reached out to two notable candidates. The first is former Brazil national team boss Dorival Júnior, who is reportedly weighing multiple offers and has yet to commit to a return to management.
The second is Tite, Neymar’s former coach with the Brazilian national team. While the two share a strong relationship, the Brazilian outlet report suggests that Tite has shown little interest in entering negotiations at this stage. With a key fixture against Atletico Mineiro on Wednesday, Santos are under pressure to act fast as the coaching search intensifies.