December 10 – Marcelo Teixeira has been elected the new president of Santos as the club comes to terms with future life in the second tier of Brazilian football.
With 53% of the votes, Teixeira defeated four rivals to claim the presidency at the port club for a third time. Fernando Bonavides will serve as his vice president.
“What should be a highlight of democracy, is a moment that is difficult because we are not that happy this year,” said Teixeira.
“But, anyhow, the voting was decisive and showed great confidence in our work and our project. With the elections over, we want Santos to be united so that from January of 2024 we get the chance of returning Santos to the place where it belongs.”
Teixeira’s term runs until 2026, having served as chairman from 1992 to 1993 as well from 2000 to 2009. During his second mandate, Santos won the Brazilian league twice and the pair of Diego and Robinho propelled the club to the final of the Copa Libertadores.
This time ambitions will be more modest with Santos seeking a return to the top flight after they were relegated for the first time in the club’s history last week following a dramatic final day of the season. The club’s relegation is expected to slash revenues by 150 million reais and affect the makeup of the squad.
Santos are Brazil’s most internationally recognizable club after their glory days under Pele in the 1960s yielded two Libertadores victories as well as an Intercontinental Cup. Pele and his team toured the world in exhibition matches, rendering the likes of Antonio Lima, Zito, Pepe, Clodoaldo and Coutinho household names.
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