Letters from São Paulo — Part Two: Santos

All words and images by Gregorio Gastaldi

Letters from São Paulo: where faith, football, and culture meet along the coast and beyond.

In the second instalment of Letters from São Paulo, Gregorio Gastaldi travels to the coastal city of Santos — a place where football, faith, and the sea intertwine. From the peaceful beaches to the storm of emotion inside Vila Belmiro, this is where Brazil’s footballing soul still beats strongest.

A Small City with a Giant Soul

Santos is a small city (compared to the enormous ones in Brazil), and it has a peaceful village vibe in the streets every day. Until Santos plays.

Vila Belmiro Stadium is not so big (compared to the monsters of the Brasileirão), but victories have built a strong legend out of it. Surrounded by coast and high mountains, the journey along the route was pretty peculiar. But once I arrived, I felt I had left the city and the chaos. Until Santos played.

The impression I constantly had was that of a small, familiar town. People are extremely friendly, and swimming in the sea is mandatory even if there is a storm ahead. And there was a big one coming. Many families didn’t care about the rain, remaining on the beach, and still, the streets were so calm. As I said before, until Santos played.

I knew they were a huge club, as I’ve seen many games on TV since I was born, but until my first game there, I hadn’t realised how big this club is — and how important football is for the Santos family. A community raised through generations with a very humble personality, but at the same time, a winning identity. Every step inside Vila Belmiro feels like walking through a living museum full of history. And you don’t realise that you were needing to absorb exactly that, until Santos plays.

Neymar: The Prodigal Son Returns

Neymar’s return to Santos wasn’t just a football matter — it was much more than that. The last idol of Santos was essential in bringing many sponsors, publicity, investors, and even new players. The club expanded its training facilities and doubled its income from match attendance, as well as from new brands joining their project.

Tourism grew a lot too, and the streets of the city were painted again, most of them with graffiti showing Neymar in many different forms. Santos is clean and safe, something not so common to see nowadays in Brazil, or even in São Paulo state. But it’s a humble place as well. Neymar was born and raised here, so he knows his people well.

The former Barcelona player developed some products from his own brand, “Pley,” and every attendee at Vila Belmiro receives free juice or protein bars in the stadium. Everybody is aware that Ney is not in his best shape right now and that he struggles with injuries often, but people show constant affection to him even in tough moments — as if he were still Neymar Jr. You can see his face absolutely everywhere, and nobody could ever deny that Santos is Neymar’s home and family.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere didn’t reflect that, as the stadium was completely full and cheerful. Before the game, the torcida jovem walked together with the players’ bus through the streets for half an hour. Of course, it was the San-São — one of the biggest clássicos.

Pelé: The Eternal King

Many years have passed since O Rei Pelé stopped playing football, but the best player in Brazil’s long football history remains a national flag for the country. Trying to avoid comparisons, his presence is actually even stronger than Neymar’s and has spread as a legend throughout the entire nation.

Pelé’s death didn’t stop the legacy he left in Santos — on the contrary, it spread through the population like a religious belief. Almost every flag, mural, shirt, tattoo, or song related to Santos bears Pelé’s stamp.

I was surprised by how many similarities there are between his story and Neymar’s (and by how many images there are of both together). I spent two days asking every person I could who the best football player ever in Brazil was. They just laughed and mocked my question. For Santos, there is only one God. And for me, witnessing Vila Belmiro felt like going to the church of God — Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

A Season of Struggle and Spirit

This is a historic year for Santos, but not because the club is fighting for a new title as they are used to. For the second time, one of the most successful teams in Brazil could be relegated to the second division — and in the very year Neymar decided to come back.

The game carried great tension for Santos, as they were just one point away from the fourth relegation position in the table and desperately needed a victory. The heavy rain during the whole match added an extra dramatic touch. Fouls everywhere. São Paulo played with many reserves, saving their best players for the Libertadores ahead, but still managed to worry the whole stadium several times until the last minute of the game.

Final whistle! Triumph and three golden points — some fresh air to breathe a little during a very special year for Santos Futebol Clube.

Next Week: Palmeiras

Next week in Letters from São Paulo, Gregorio heads back inland to explore Palmeiras — a club defined by resilience, modern glory, and one of the most passionate fan bases in Brazilian football.