Santos FC Historical XI + All-time XI

PALMARES OF SANTOS FC (101 titles) :

* Main titles (44 official titles) :

1935 – Campeão Paulista (LPF) (1º)
1955 – Campeão Paulista (2º)
1956 – Bicampeão Paulista (3º)
1958 – Campeão Paulista (4º)
1959 – Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa)
1960 – Campeão Paulista (5º)
1961 – Bicampeão Paulista (6º)
1961 – Campeão Brasileiro (1º) – Taça Brasil
1962 – Bicampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1962 – Campeão da Taça Libertadores da América
1962 – Tricampeão Paulista (7º)
1962 – Campeão Mundial Interclubes
1963 – Tricampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1963 – Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa)
1963 – Bicampeão da Taça Libertadores da América
1963 – Bicampeão Mundial Interclubes
1964 – Bicampeão do Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa)
1964 – Campeão Paulista (8º)
1964 – Tetracampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1965 – Bicampeão Paulista (9º)
1965 – Pentacampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1966 – Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa)
1967 – Campeão Paulista (10º)
1968 – Bicampeão Paulista (11º)
1968 – Hexacampeão brasileiro – Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa (1ª Taça de Prata)
1968 – Recopa – Sul-Americano Interclubes
1968 – Recopa – Mundial Interclubes
1969 – Tricampeão Paulista (12º)
1973 – Campeão Paulista (13º)
1978 – Campeão Paulista (14º)
1984 – Campeão Paulista (15º)
1997 – Campeão do Torneio Rio-São Paulo
1998 – Copa Conmebol
2002 – Heptacampeão brasileiro-Campeonato Brasileiro (1º)
2004 – Octacampeão brasileiro- Campeonato Brasileiro (2º)
2006 – Campeão Paulista (16º)
2007 – Bicampeão Paulista (17º)
2010 – Campeão Paulista (18º)
2010 – Campeão da Copa do Brasil (1º – nono título nacional)
2011 – Bicampeão Paulista (19º)
2011 – Campeão da Taça Libertadores Libertadores da América (3º)
2012 – Tricampeão Paulista (20º)
2012 – Campeão da Recopa Sul-Americana (1º)
2015 – Campeão Paulista (21º)

* All titles (101 titles)

1913 – Campeão Santista (invicto)
1915 – Bicampeão Santista (invicto)
1926 – Campeão Torneio Início Extra
1928 – Campeão Torneio Início (Apea)
1935 – Campeão Paulista (LPF)
1937 – Campeão do Torneio (LPF)
1937 – Torneio Início da Liga
1948 – Campeão da Taça Cidade de Santos
1948 – Vencedor da Taça das Taças
1949 – Campeão da Taça Cidade de São Paulo
1951 – Torneio Quadrangular de Belo Horizonte (Campeão Invicto)
1952 – Campeão do Torneio (FPF)
1952 – Torneio Início da FPF
1952 – Campeão da Taça Santos
1955 – Campeão Paulista (2º)
1956 – Campeão da Taça Gazeta Esportiva (24 jogos invicto)
1956 – Torneio Internacional da FPF
1956 – Campeão do Torneio de Classificação (17 jogos invicto)
1956 – Bicampeão Paulista (3º)
1956 – Torneio Internacional Roberto Gomes Pedrosa
1958 – Campeão Paulista (4º)
1959 – Troféu Dr. Mário Echandi
1959 – Torneio Pentagonal do México
1959 – Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa) (1º)
1959 – Troféu Tereza Herrera (Espanha)
1959 – Torneio de Valencia (Espanha)
1960 – Troféu de Gialorosso (Itália)
1960 – IV Torneio de Paris
1960 – Campeão Paulista (5º)
1961 – Torneio da Costa Rica
1961 – Torneio Pentagonal de Guadalajara (México)
1961 – Bicampeão do Torneio Paris
1961 – Torneio Itália/61
1961 – Bicampeão Paulista (6º)
1961 – Campeão Brasileiro (1º) – Taça Brasil
1962 – Bicampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1962 – Campeão da Taça Libertadores da América
1962 – Tricampeão Paulista (7º)
1962 – Campeão Mundial Interclubes
1963 – Tricampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1963 – Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa) (2º)
1963 – Bicampeão da Taça Libertadores da América
1963 – Bicampeão Mundial Interclubes
1964 – Bicampeão do Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa) (3º)
1964 – Campeão Paulista (8º)
1964 – Tetracampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1965 – Torneio Hexagonal do Chile
1965 – Torneio de Caracas (Venezuela)
1965 – Torneio Quadrangular de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
1965 – Bicampeão Paulista (9º)
1965 – Pentacampeão Brasileiro – Taça Brasil
1966 – Torneio Rio-São Paulo (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa) (4º)
1966 – Torneio de Nova York
1967 – Campeão Paulista (10º)
1967 – Torneio Triangular de Florença
1967 – Torneio Rubens Ulhoa Cintra
1968 – Torneio Amazônia
1968 – Torneio Octogonal Chile (Nicolau Moran)
1968 – Bicampeão Paulista (11º)
1968 – Torneio Pentagonal de Buenos Aires
1968 – Hexacampeão brasileiro – Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa (1ª Taça de Prata)
1968 – Recopa – Sul-Americano Interclubes
1968 – Recopa – Mundial Interclubes
1969 – Tricampeão Paulista (12º)
1969 – Torneio de Cuiabá
1970 – Torneio Hexagonal do Chile
1970 – Taça Cidade de São Paulo
1970 – Torneio Triangular da Guatemala
1971 – Torneio de kingston – Jamaica – Triangular
1972 – Fita Azul do Futebol Brasileiro (17 partidas invicto)
1973 – Campeão Paulista (13º)
1975 – Torneio Governador do Estado – Taça Laudo Natel
1975 – Torneio Governador da Bahia (Roberto Santos)
1977 – Torneio Hexagonal do Chile
1977 – Torneio Triangular do México (Leon)
1978 – Campeão Paulista (14º)
1983 – Torneio Vencedores da América (Uruguai)
1983 – Torneio Cidade de Barcelona (Espanha)
1984 – Torneio Início
1984 – Taça dos Invictos da Gazeta Esportiva Nova Série (15 partidas invicto)
1984 – Campeão Paulista (15º)
1985 – Torneio Copa Kirim (Japão)
1987 – Torneio Cidade de Marseille – 1ª edição (França)
1990 – Super Copa Americana (China)
1994 – Copa Denner
1996 – Torneio de Verão (Santos)
1997 – Campeão do Torneio Rio-São Paulo (5º)
1998 – Copa Conmebol
2002 – Heptacampeão brasileiro – Campeonato Brasileiro (1º)
2004 – Copa Federação Paulista de Futebol (Santos B)
2004 – Octacampeão brasileiro – Campeonato Brasileiro (2º)
2006 – Campeão Paulista (16º)
2007 – Bicampeão Paulista (17º)
2010 – Campeão Paulista (18º)
2010 – Campeão da Copa do Brasil (1º – nono título nacional)
2011 – Bicampeão Paulista (19º)
2011 – Campeão da Libertadores (3º)
2012 – Tricampeão Paulista (20º)
2012 – Campeão da Recopa Sul-Americana (1º)
2015 – Campeão Paulista (21º)

^ Source : Acervo Historico do Santos FC (+ some verifications). 

v Now, in addition, the vice-champion places (Vice-Campeão) :

* Vice-Campeão

- Taça Brasil : 1959, 1966.

- Brasileiro : 1983, 1995, 2003, 2007.

- Paulista : 1927, 1928, 1929 (APEA). 1931, 1948, 1950, 1957, 1959, 1980, 2000, 2009, 2013, 2014.

- Copa do Brasil : 2015.

* HISTORICAL TEAMS :

We start this review since the 20s. 

1927-1929 : Santos FC vice-campeão Paulista (behind Palestra Itália and Corinthians x2).

1927 : 

Vice campeão Paulista APEA with 100 goals scored in 16 matches i.e 6,25 goals per game. This is simply the all-time World record.

Here is the team that played the last matches in 1928 with, still mentionned, the goalkeeper and the left full-back who played almost all the games in 1927, that between brackets. Feitiço did not play in 1928 but he will obviously re-appear in the team, contrarily to his two teammates. Siriri replaced him as the CF of the team.

« O Attaque de 100 gols » :

 

Santos FC 1927

 

This competiton has ended in March 1928.

This is how the players shared goals : Araken (36 goals), Feitiço (28), Camarão (13), Evangelista and Omar (7), Siriri (5), Hugo (2). Plus 2 own goals for.

Maybe Santos would have had more chance to win with Feitiço in the team.

1928 :

Vice campeão Paulista APEA.

Here is the team which has beaten Corinthians in Ponte Grande, Parque São Jorge (3-2).

Santos FC 1928

 

+ Wolf (FWD) who played some games during this campaign.

1929 :

Vice campeão Paulista APEA.

Santos FC 1929

 

Santos FC received the « A Capital » trophy for being vice-champion for the third time in a row.

08/05/1932 :

The team that beats Corinthians 7-1 :

Santos FC 7, Corinthians 1 (1932)

 Final rank in the Paulista  : 6^th.

1935 :

The conquest of the first Paulistão.

Presented as they played in the decisive match against...Corinthians. Meira was the more usual LB. Delso the usual CF in this campaign (but Raul would become the starter). And Logu (see the 1932 team) a complementary forward (IL or LW) who played 5 times on 12 games. At last, Jango was also known as Janguinho.

Santos FC 1935

 1949 :

 Taça cidade de São Paulo :

Santos FC Taça cidade SP 49 1_H

Santos FC Taça cidade SP 49 2_A

A title won against SPFC.


1955 : 
Campeão Paulista (2nd title).

Santos FC 1955

Zito played more than Urubatão. Zito could also play CB or LB. Other players: Feijó who played the end of the competition (LB), Sarno (LB or RH), Negri and Pagão (FWD). Manga, the goalkeeper is Agenor Gomes (born in 1929). Manga of Botafogo is Haílton Corrêa de Arruda (born in 1937).

1956 : 
Campeão Paulista (3rd title).

Santos FC 1956

 

+ Urubatão (mainly), Feijó, also Fioti. Many possibilities in attack: player a/ player b, both could play together of course.

1957-1974 : the Pelé era.

1958:
Campeão Paulista.

Santos FC 1958

   

+ Álvaro, Hélio, Guerra, Coutinho, Urubatão...Afonsinho.

1960:
Campeão Paulista.

Santos FC 1960

 

+ Ney Blanco, Pagão and also, always Tite in attack. Formiga was also still part of the squad and even if supplanted by Mauro at the position of CB, he appeared sometimes as half-back instead of Calvet (Zito taking the RH role of Calvet and Formiga the LH one in this case). Sormani was mainly used at either RW or IR positions but also as CF.

1961 :  

Campeão Paulista + Taça Brasil which is retrospectively assimilated to the Brasileirão. It's the 1^st National title ever of Santos FC (conquered agaisnt Bahia which had defeated them in the 1959 Final). 

As they played in Taça Brasil, by the end of the year 1961.

Santos FC 1961

Tite played the Final (in two legs), once substitued (in the first match) by Mengálvio who had played all the three matches in the quarter-finals.

The Paulista '61 typical 11? Certainly there was many variants during this competition.

In this configuration, Mauro could also play RB. Lima too even though he was more often used as a half. Fioti too, for a couple of times, even if more a player of the centre (it was more often Mauro who was « displaced »).

Plus Pagão, Sormani, Tite (at different positions in attack), Bê, Nené. Always Urubatão. Another complementary defender was Getúlio, like in '60 by the way. Figueiró was another one which was used several times. Formiga was still in the team but has been supplanted by Fioti as the 2^nd choice for the CB position.

1962 :

Paulistão + Libertadores + Intercontinental Cup.

Typical 11 of the year :

Santos FC 1962

 

This year '62 marks also the apparition of a more clear 4-2-4 (like in the intercontinental Cup against Benfia) with Calvet as a more integrant part of the defence with as a consequence Mengálvio and Zito switching positions (at least at the start in theory). Another consequence was that Dorval and Pepe scored a bit less of goals as, in this configuration, the two wingers had to stick more to their respective flanks and concentrate a bit more on their defensive duties.

Santos FC 4-2-4 1962

+ Pagão, Tite, Nené (the future player of Cagliari). Possible RB's were Ismael and Olavo who played against Benfica and at times at this position in the Paulista but who was first a CB. Zé Carlos was the LB and Dalmo the RB in the end of the Paulista. A last point, we can notice the arrival of Gilmar in the team instead of Laércio who became the second keeper.

1963 :

This year, Santos FC plays the Taça Brasil 1962, postponed due to the busy previous schedule. In the Final, they beat Botafogo in three legs : 4-3 in the Pacaembu, 1-3 in the Maracanã then 5-0 in the Maracanã again for a match that definitively enhnances the fame of the team and the beautiful game she practises.

They also win the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup again. And the Torneio Rio-São Paulo. But can't rank higher than 3^rd in the Paulista as Pelé was injured. Pelé is still the top scorer of the Paulista however.

Again, we can find the team in two configurations :

Santos FC 1963

Santos FC 4-2-4 1963

Plus Toninho Guerreiro (CF), Mengálvio and Nené (MF). Zito did not play the Intercontinental Cup's 2^nd leg nor the tie-break match so we could find a pair Lima-Mengálvio at midfield for the two last confrontations in Santos (in a 4-2-4 formation).

It seems that Lima was generally preferred to Mengálvio that year but it could be presented as a Lima/ Mengálvio again, as previously for the 1962 year. Moreover, Mengálvio played the Taça Brasil Final and the Intercontinental Cup Final. But it was in replacement of Mauro (not position for position) in Italy then in replacement of Zito in Brazil.

After the injury of Pelé in Milan for the first match of the « clubs world cup », the CF was Almir (Almir Pernambuquinho) for the two decisive matches in Santos (2^nd leg and tie-break matches). That was also the occasion to see the defenders Haroldo (CB instead of Mauro in Milan then associated with him in Santos in replacement of Calvet) and Ismael (RB as Lima played at midfield and that Dalmo played LB, not Geraldino in this competition).

At last, we take not that Tite entered in the Taça Brasil Final.

1964 :

Campeão Brasileiro (Taça Brasil). They had qualified to the Quarter-finals as the winner of the precedent edition (and not directly to the semis as in the precedent years when campeão Paulista, what was not the case here as seen previously).

Here is the team that won the Brazilian National title. 

With first, the 11 that has beaten Palmeiras in the Semi-finals :

Santos FC x Palmeiras (Taça Bra.1964, semis)

And now, the 11 that has beaten Flamengo in the Final (in 2 legs again):

Santos FC x Flamengo (Taça Bra.1964, Final)

Gerladino had entered for Zito in the first match.

Toninho is Toninho Guerreiro.

The team that played the quarter-finals was slightly different too, with Laércio in the goals for example.

This year, Santos stops his run in the Libertadores at the Semi-finals' stage.

1965 :

Paulistão + Taça Brasil (+ semi-finalist in the Libertadores).

First, as they played in the Taça Brasil Final  :

FC Santos 1965 (Taça Brasil Final)

Toninho entered for Coutinho in the first leg (home) and Abel entered for Pepe in the second match.

Now the team of the Campeonato Paulista :

FC Santos 1965 (in the Camp. Paulista)

Joel Camargo has succeeded to Zito at midfield before Mengálvio went back into the team in October for the second phase. At this moment, there's a switch of position with Lima. In July, Lima played LB as the pair of halves was Zito-Mengálvio (From August to October it was Joel-Lima).

Plus Pepe (9 matches).

1966 : 

Not a good year for Pelé, Brasil, ans Santos.

The team which is beaten by Cruzeiro in the Taça Brasil Final (defeat 6-2 in Belo Horizonte then defeat 3-2 in Santos, by the end of the year)

1) Gilmar – Carlos Alberto, Mauro, Zé Carlos – Zito, Oberdan – Dorval, Lima, Toninho, Pelé, Pepe.

2) Cláudio – Lima, Oberdan, ZéCarlos – Haroldo, Zito – Amuri (Dorval),Mengálvio, Toninho, Pelé, Edu.

+ 3^rd in the Paulista this year.

1967 :

4^th of the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa only (retrospectively considered as the Brasileiro this year, as well as the Taça Brasil...two champions in '97' and '68) with very variable lineups. But Campeão Paulista, with this 11 which is at the same time the "usual 11" wich has been used in the whole competition and the 11 that has beaten SPFC in the decisive match (tie-break match). 

Presented with his name placed between brackets, Wilson, who played the final match instead of the more usual starter Silva. 

FC Santos 1967

Edu could play on the right as well though.

+ Lima (mainly LH but also SB, the most used complementary player). And also : Gilmar, Oberdan and Orlando (Cbs), always Zito and Mengálvio (less used but Zito has been precious at times), and in attack, Abel (LW) and in for a lesser participation, Douglas and Coutinho. Pepe was still in the squad too.

1968: 

Paulistão + Pedrosão or Brasileirão this year (Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa '68 = the Brasileiro retrospectively).

The team which won the Quadrangular Final of the Pedrosão :

FC Santos 1968

 

This year, Joel Camargo was well the usual starter though (not Marçal who replaced him in the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa), and he has played the full-campaign of the Sao Paulo State championship. In the Paulista, Abel was a bit less used than the other forwards who were Douglas and Kaneko. There was also the RW Wilson still (but for a very few games played). Still in the Paulista, a player who could enter during the matches (on a quite constant basis) was Negreiros.

Change Marçal for Joel and you got the defense of the Paulistão. In attack, there was a variety of choices to build the offensive-5 with all the players mentionned and it varied a lot.

1969 :

4^th in the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa. And Campeão Paulista with this team in the Quadrangular Final:

Santos FC 1969

1973 :

Campeão Paulista.

As they played in the decisive match with Portuguesa with whom they finally share the title on the decision of the Federação Paulista de Futebol.
Indeed, after a 0-0 drew-game, the referee decided that the match should end on a  penalty shootout while it was even not in the rules. Moreover he made errors in his counts during the penalty shooting session.

Santos FC 1973

  Substitution : Brécha entered for Jair.

The After-Pelé

1978-1979 :

Santos wins the Paulistão '78 over São Paulo. The Final is played in June '79 after several groups phases and play-offs. After 3 matches, and no winner as both teams won once and drew once, Santos is declared champion due to the had scored the biggest number of goals during the regular season. 

If it had been about the goals scored during the final three games, São Paulo would have win as it had made first 2-1 for Santos then 1-1 then finally 2-0 for São Paulo after extra-time.

All three games had been played in the Murumbi though, the stadium of  São Paulo FC.

Here is the Santos FC 11 :

Santos FC, Paulista Final '78

When Caludinho has been lined on the left side of the attack for the 3rd game, Nilton Batata entered the scene as the right wing. Still in the third game, Neto played instead of Joãzinho and has been replaced by Fernando. Rubens Feijão (AM), entered instead of Pita (AM) during the same game. Santos did not proceed to any substitutions during the two first matches.

1983 :

Vice-campeão Brasileiro (3 phases of groups + knockout-stages with quarter-finals, semi-finals, Final). Flamengo won the Final (in two legs with home and away venues).

The typical 1983 Santos 11 :

Santos FC 1983

Other players were Toninho Silva (DM), Joãozinho (D), Lino (more AM who played instead of Dema in the Final against Flamengo. Santos played without « real DM » in that Final, in consequence Marcio was chasing balls higher on the pitch, covered by Toninho Carlos.

This formation worked more like a 4-1-4-1 which transformed into a 4-3-3 while the representation of the team presented above could mistakely lead to think it was a 4-1-2-2-1, what is not totally wrong, but is way less true. Well.

Santos played in white against Flamengo otherwise they played in black and white the most often.

1984 :
Campeão Paulista (over Corinthians).

FC Santos 1984

Plus Mario Sergio, Gersinho and Ronaldo.

Typo : P. Isodoro/ P.Isidoro.

 The reborn of Santos FC in the 1990s (Peixe's not Dead!).

1995 :

Vice-campeão brasileiro. This follows the very good 5th place of 1993 with Guga as top scorer of the League and the defender Ricardo Rocha in the team.

Typical formation of the season with the most used players.

Santos FC 1995

 

Other Players : Pintado (MF), Camanducaia and Macedo (FWD). Also Whelliton and Batista (FWD). The two first were more used in the decisive matches even though not real starters.

In the last 4 matches (semi-finals + Final), Marcelo Passos (MF), was more used than before while Vágner, played only twice : once against Fluminense in the semis and once against Botafogo in the 1^st leg of the Final, that as a right-back.

Giovanni (who scored 17 out of the 52 goals of Santos) could be used anywhere in the front-4, he had anyway a quite « free-role ».

1997 :

Campeão Torneio Rio-São Paulo.

As they played in the Final (in two legs as usual).

Santos FC 1997

Players who came into play : Baiano, Caíco and Juari who scored the equalizer in the second leg, a goal synonymous of title. It's the last time that Santos FC won this trophy.

The former international player Müller was part of the team that played in the Brasileiro (6^th) and he was elected Bola da Prata.

1998 :

4th in the Brasileiro and winner of the Copa Comnebol.

Here is the team which won the Copa Comnebol.

FC Santos 1998

The team hat finished 4th in the Brasileiro and semi-finalist in the play-offs of this same competition (beaten by Corinthians), counted on Viola in attack who finished "Artilheiro" with 21 goals.

The former international player Müller, was part of the team that played in the Paulista (8 goals and 3^rd) before moving to Cruzeiro.

Jorginho (Jorge Luís da Silva) was another AM of the team that year.

The 2000s : Santos is National Champion again.

2000 :

Vice-campeão Paulista. 

Here is the team that lined against São Paulo in the decisive matches (2 legs).

 

FC Santos 2000

 Dodô entered for Valdir in the first leg away and started instead of him in the second leg switching positions with Caio at this occasion.

Also, Eduardo Marques entered for Robert in the first leg as did Deivid for Caio. Another three substitutions have been made in the second leg : Ailton for Rubens Cardoso, Márcio Santos for Caio and Deivid for Valdo.

2002 :

Campeão brasileiro (with play-offs).  

Santos is national champion again after 34 years!

With this team :

FC Santos 2002

Complementary player : « Preto » (DF). Usual subs : Alexandre (MF), Robert (AM/ FWD), William and also Wellington (FWD).

2003 :

Vice-campeão brasileiro and runner-up in the Copa Libertadores.

Typical 11 of the season (can be seen as a 4-2-2 once again) :

Santos FC 2003

Fabinho Pereira (AM/ FWD) is the complementary player with most appearances (and goals). He played instead of Elano in the Copa Libertadores Final. Then comes Nenê (AM/ FWD). Ricardo Oliveira was the main striker in Copa Libertadores but only played a bit more than 1/3 of the matches in the Brasileiro. What is still more than all the other strikers of the squad.

2004 : 

Campeão Brasileiro. The 8th and last national title up to date.

Santos FC 2004

 

Of course different possibilites concerning « who plays where » have occured.

+ Basílio (FWD, at times in a 4-3-3). The former international players back from Europe, Antonio Carlos Zago and Zé Elias were part of the squad but they have played a very few games. Concerning the departures, Diego and Renato had joined Europe in the summer.

Then came a « still quite succesful period of transition » before a new quite fantastic era.

2006 :

Campeão Paulista (and 4^th in the Brasileirão).

After much departures, the club Santista managed to win the Paulista and to finish 4^th in the Brasileirão, always under the commandment of Vanderleï Luxembougo and with the likes of Fábio Costa (back in the goals), the Paraguayan defender Manzur, Zé Roberto from Bayern Munich (12 matches/ 3 goals in the Brasileirão in 2006) or, still at midfield, Cléber Santana, Rodrigo Tabata, the international player André Luiz Moreira (back from France) and the future Bordeaux player and Ligue 1 champion Wendel. In attack, There was Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira, Wellington Paulista (on loan) and many others like Jonas (future Valencian and now at Benfica). A huge amount of players went through Santos this year. The former star of the club Giovanni was even back. But he appeared only once in the Paulista State championship. The international left back Kléber, at the club since 2005 would be one of the very few to stay (or to be kept) at the club, and that for several years again.

2007 :

Campeão Paulista + vice-campeão Brasileiro + Libertadores semi-finals.

Zé Roberto sealed a new contract with Bayern in July after having contributed to win the Paulista as well as reaching the Copa Libertadores' semi-finals with 14 matches and 7 goals in this competition.

For his part, Jonas has joined Grêmio at the same moment.

The main protagonists of the season were Fábio Costa (GK), the left back Kléber (sometimes supplemented by Carlinhos), the centre backs Adaílton (former Stade Rennais) Marcelo and Domingos, the Chilean midfielder Maldonado (used quite often as a wing-back), Rodrigo Souto, Pedrinho, Cléber Santana, Rodrigo Tabata, and the strikers Marcos Aurélio Kléber Pereira. The squad contained many other players, the most famous being Antonio Carlos « Zago », back at the club for his last contract (played in the Paulista and the CL) and Dejan Petkovic, 14 starts for a total 21 appearances in the Brazilian Serie A this year, his only year at Santos FC.

That year, Luxemburgo could use a system with 3 central defenders.

2009-2010 marks the eclosion of Neymar and the start of a new ecxiting period for Santos FC which will soon win the Libertadores again with its new young phenomenon.

2010 :

Campeão Paulista + Copa do Brasil (8th in the Brazilian Serie A). 

The following 11 is the typical 11 that won the Paulista and the Copa. The typical 11 used in the Brasileirão is presented just after.

Santos FC 2010 (Paulista & Copa do Brasil)

 

 + André in attack, Rodrigo Mancha at midfield and Madson as attacking midfielder/ winger.

Felipe, the second keeper, was the starter in the winning campaigns in the Paulista and in the Copa do Brasil, Rafael the number 1 to play the Brasileirão. The historical left back Léo was still there to play a good share of matches even if supplanted by Alex Sandro who became the clear starter in the Serie A. Robinho was back on loan from Manchester City and has mainly contributed to the conquest of the Paulista and Copa do Brasil titles (2 games only in the Brasileirão before to join AC Milan).

In the Serie A, the typical 11 was like this (presented with most used players, the formations could be different) :

Santos FC 2010 (in the Brazilian Serie A)

 

+ Marcel and Keirrison in attack (Keirrison replaced Robinho numerically), Maranhão (RB). Roberto Brum and Rodriguinho (MF). Also Zezinho. And always eventually the little winger Madson. Wesley played less here. There was also a player named Breitner, a Venezuelian AM whose the full name is Overath Breitner da Silva Medina. Alex Sandro could play LM (while Léo was the LB).

Moreover, 2010, it was the last come-back of Giovanni at the club. It's also the year of his retirement from football. And the debuts of Felipe Anderson (5 appearances in Serie A and in all).

2011 :

Winner of the Paulista. And Winner of the Copa Libertadores ! 

As they lined in the winning Copa Libertadores Final (in two legs) against Peñarol, 49 years after the first win against the same Peñarol and 48 years the second title won over Boca Juniors :

Santos FC Campeão da América 2011

0-0 in Montevideo then 2-1 in Santos. Neymar found again a position more on the left side in the second leg when he was playing more on the right in the first match. Elano was back at Santos 7 years after.

2012 : 

Paulistão + Recopa Sudamericana + semi-finalist in the Copa Libertadores. 8^th in the Serie A.

Still with Elano, Ganso and Neymar. Without Alex Sandro who had left for Porto. Thus, Léo found again his position on the left of the defense.

Neymar left Santos to join Barcelona in 2013.

The second match of Neymar for Barça was against his former club, Santos in the Gamper Trophy. 8-0 for Barça.

This concludes a new but short fantastic period of the club Alvinegro. By the way the party poopers would not miss to insist on the lack of results in the Brasileiro during this time. But Santos had  had his new phenomenon player and the title of Champion of America, for lack of World title again because of a certain Barça. A different epoch.

The club counts now on Ricardo Oliveira who came back in 2015 to win the Paulista again, a win almost unhoped for, after an important financial crisis. 

Ricardo Oliveira has been top scorer as well as elected best player of the Paulista the same year and has been called-up in the Selecçao again even becoming the starter at the centre forward position helping to bring back the spotlights on Santos FC again. 

Santos FC is qualified for the quarter-finals of the Campeonato Paulista 2016 (games played in April) and will compete in the Campeonato Brasileiro which starts in May.

To be continued...

Now let's celebrate our heroes a last time with first a Santos FC All-time 11:

I really don't know what I'm doing here since that's like an impossible mission... but let's go for this :

Santos FC All-Time 11

Yeah! Why not?

And now, as usual in this serie on the clubs, Roll of Honour :

Carlos Alberto, Clodoaldo, Gilmar, Léo, R. Delgado_Serginho, Ganso, Pelé, Diego, Zito_Robinho, Mauro, Pita, Pepe_Rodriguez, Mengalvio, Coutinho, Giovanni, Toninho_Dorval, Paulinho McLaren, Neymar, Robert, Araken

Calvet, Alex, Jair Rosa Pinto, Cejas, Edu_Feitiço, Lima, Joel Camargo, Ailton Lira, João Paulo_Ramiro, Juary, Pagão, Abel, Tite_Renato, Marinho Peres, Ricardo Oliveira, Viola, Elano_Marcos Assunção, Deivid, Formiga, Vasconcelos, Zé Roberto

Inevitably, some players may be missing. Like Guga for example (the Brasileiro Série A top scorer 1993, for a 5th place). There's also César Sampaio... but he went to Palmeiras. Paulo Isidoro... but who is more Belo Horizonte. Or Mario Sérgio...who is more SPFC. And others. In this roll of honour, we note the presence of Marinho Peres, Ailton Lira and Paulinho McLaren who were not of the teams presented in the article.