Santos, the birthplace of late football legend Pele, were relegated to the second division for the first time on Wednesday, just days before the first anniversary of his death.
Santos were defeated 2-1 at home by Fortaleza in their final league match of the season, relegating them to the “B Series” division for the next season.
The home of Pele and Neymar concluded the season in 17th position, with 43 points, one point behind Bahia, who avoided relegation with a 4-1 win against Atletico Mineiro, and 27 points behind Palmeiras, who won their second consecutive league title.
Gremio finished a surprisingly strong second place on 68 points, due to a brace from the Uruguayan striker in their 3-2 win over Fluminense.
Santos’ relegation comes less than a year after the death of three-time World Cup winner Pele on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82.
The humiliation comes after years of financial and athletic problems at Santos, leaving Flamengo and Sao Paulo as the only clubs in Brazil never to be demoted.