55 Facts About Santos FC

Santos Futebol Clube, commonly known simply as Santos or Santos FC and nicknamed the Peixe, is a Brazilian sports club based in Vila Belmiro, a bairro in the city of Santos.

Since then, Santos FC has become one of Brazil's most successful clubs, becoming a symbol of Jogo Bonito in football culture, hence the motto "Tecnica e Disciplina".

Santos FC is one of the most successful clubs in the Brasileirao, becoming national champions on eight occasions.

On 20 January 1998, Santos FC became the first team, in any category in the world, to reach the milestone of 10,000 goals in the entire history of football and was voted by FIFA as one of the most successful clubs of the 20th century.

In terms of revenue, Santos FC is Brazil's fourth-richest sports club and one of the biggest football clubs in the world, generating an annual turnover of over $114 million in 2012.

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Santos FC has many long-standing rivalries, most notably against Corinthians, Palmeiras, and Sao Paulo.

In 1914, due to an internal financial crisis, Santos FC only played friendly matches, winning all seven of them.

In 1915, Santos FC changed their name temporarily to Uniao Futebol Clube in order to compete in another city tournament due to budgeting reasons.

That same year, Santos FC returned to compete in another Campeonato Paulista finishing in a much-improved 5th place.

Between the 1917 and 1926 seasons, Santos FC was recognized as a solid and talented team, but one that could not offer a true challenge for the state title, finishing no higher than fourth place.

Santos FC finished as runners-up in 1927,1928 and 1929, scoring 100 goals in 16 games in the 1927 season, resulting in an incredible rate of 6.

However, Santos FC' fortunes changed when former goalkeeper Athie Jorge Cury became club president in 1946 and immediately sought out to reconquer the state title.

Santos FC soundly defeated many of the regions' top clubs such as Paysandu, Fortaleza EC, ABC, Santa Cruz, etc.

Santos FC participated in the Torneio Rio – Sao Paulo for the first time in 1952, finishing in third place overall.

Santos FC secured the services of several established players such as Zito.

Santos FC won the third state title in 50 years, the magical year of 1958 – in which Brazil won the World Cup in Sweden, with Zito Santos FC, Pele and Pepe, and won in spectacular fashion.

In demand worldwide, Santos FC became the first globetrotting football team and played exhibition matches in dozens of countries.

Under pressure from the CBD, which the team did not want to risk their star players in unsafe stadiums in South America, Santos FC did not participate in the editions of the Libertadores 1966,1967 and 1969.

The influence of Santos FC was so great that the defense played with the national team the same numbers that were used at Santos FC: right-back with the shirt 4, right center-back with the second, left center-back with the sixth and left-back with three.

Santos FC was champion in 1973, still with Pele in the team, and again in 1978, driven by the amazing Meninos da Vila, Pita, Juary, Joao Paulo and Nilton Batata, the Santos FC of the 1970s were no longer just appreciated for the refinement of their football and became a symbol of passion and rapture.

When it seemed that the fate of the club would be hopelessly compromised by debt made millions for the purchase of the luxurious Spa Park, Santos FC came back to be only eleven shirts who fought and drew crowds.

In one of the worst moments of its history, which resulted in the loss of the Spa Park and all that was invested in him, Santos FC rose a charismatic worship, which had its greatest asset in his legions of fans.

Santos FC' striker was again the top scorer, this time tied with Chiquinho of Botafogo, with 16 goals.

In 2002, after being in a severe financial crisis, Santos FC let go of high-profile players and focused at their youth squads for reinforcements, aiming to avoid relegation.

In 2003, Santos FC finished in second position in the first ever Brazilian national championship without a post-season play-off to determine the champion.

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Only two matches before the end of the competition, Santos FC was able to surpass Atletico Paranaense, who had been on top of the table for the majority of the season.

In 2006, Santos FC was fourth in Brazil, securing itself a spot in the Copa Libertadores, and won the Paulista Championship for the first time since 1984.

In 2007 Santos FC lost its first match only in the first leg of the final yet winning the title through a second leg victory nonetheless.

Santos FC traded away some players from the previous year's team, but maintained some of the main players.

In 2012, Santos FC kept the two title per year ratio, winning the State Championships against Guarani and the Recopa against Universidad de Chile.

Santos FC ended the 2013 season in seventh place and had the best finish of any team from the state of Sao Paulo.

In 2014, Santos FC began the year competing in the Paulistao and completing several signings, including the most expensive player ever bought by Santos FC, Leandro Damiao.

Santos FC finished 9th in the year's Brasileirao, and on 13 December 2014, Modesto Roma Junior was elected the new president, after winning by 1,329 votes.

Santos FC suffered various bans from FIFA during the 2020 season, after failing to pay the debts of Cleber Reis, Yeferson Soteldo and Felipe Aguilar.

In January 2021, Santos FC reached the Final of the 2020 Copa Libertadores, but lost to local rivals Palmeiras after a goal in the stoppage time.

Since the club's foundation, Santos FC have had eight main crests, though all underwent minor variations.

In 1912, Santos FC adopted a black and white striped shield, with one of the early leather footballs in the middle and a diagonal band with the letters "SFBC".

Since 1979, Santos FC has had 38 different sponsors, with Rainha being the club's first kit manufacturer.

In 1915, the situation reached its breaking point, when Santos FC had constant conflicts with other city clubs on when the field could be used, forcing the club to reject several requests for international friendlies.

The "Santos FC Academy" in Oak Park, California is a youth soccer academy in the United States that uses the club's name in tribute.

Santos FC is one of Brazil's most economically powerful and richest football clubs; it had an annual turnover of US$45.

That same year, Santos FC' squad became the most valued in South America, being worth over €82m, surpassing every club in the Dutch Eredivisie and the English Football League Championship, most of the clubs in Portugal's Primeira Liga, Ukraine's Premyer-Liha, Turkey's Super Lig, Russia's Premier League and France's Ligue 1, as well as over half the clubs in Germany's Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A, Spain's La Liga and England's Premier League.

The strength of the Santos FC' brand was bolstered by its FIFA World Cup winners, especially Pele.

Santos FC is known for his accomplishments and contributions to the game of football.

Santos FC is acknowledged for his vocal support of policies to improve the social conditions of the poor.

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In 2013, Santos FC signed Pele to a contract agreeing to make him its global ambassador, extending it to a lifetime contract in 2014, and will continue to use his image in its marketing campaigns.

Santos FC has fans in all states of Brazil and fans in several different countries around the world.

Santos FC is one of the clubs with the largest number of members in Brazil, currently has over 70,000 members.

Santos FC was the featured club in the film Asa Branca: Um Sonho Brasileiro, a story of a modest but talented soccer player for Santos FC who reaches stardom.

Santos 100 Anos de Futebol Arte was a film released in 2012, year of the centenary of Santos FC, documenting the trajectory of the club during its 100 years of history.

Historically, Santos FC is Brazil's second most successful team, having won nine domestic trophies, and one of the most recognized football clubs in the world, having won eight international trophies, making them the sixth most successful team in South America ; and the Intercontinental Champions' Supercup title.

Santos FC has set records in Brazilian football, most notably the most domestic titles and the most seasons won in a row.

Santos FC is the joint-most successful Brazilian team in the Copa Libertadores, winning the 1962,1963 and 2011 editions.

Santos FC is Brazil's joint-second in Copa Libertadores semifinal appearances with seven in total.

In 1962, Santos FC won the Paulista, Taca Brasil, and the Copa Libertadores.