Santos Futebol Clube, usually known simply as Santos, is a Brazilian football team from Santos, São Paulo state, Brazil. It has been nicknamed Peixe (literally, "Fish") for decades, but the usual mascot is a whale. The nickname evokes that Santos, Brazil, the city where it is located, is a seaport, when all other big clubs from São Paulo are from inland. A fan of the team is known as a Santista. It was founded as Santos Foot-Ball Club on April 14, 1912, through the initiative of three sports enthusiasts from Santos: Raimundo Marques, Mário Ferraz de Campos and Argemiro de Souza Júnior. The club won its first state tournament in 1935, and then again, in 1955. They play in an all-white strip, with an alternative kit with black and white vertical stripes and black shorts. However, according to the club's statute, the team's first choice kit is a striped shirt with white shorts and white socks. Pelé (chosen as "Athlete of the Century" by the IOC in 1999) started his career with the team in 1956, at the age of 15, and remained with Santos for 17 years. With Pelé, Santos won the Intercontinental Cup in 1962 and 1963. On 20 January 1998 Santos became the first and only team in football history to pass the 10,000-goal mark. More recently, on October 26, 2005 Geílson scored the team's 11,000th goal, the first scored in the team's away match against Vasco da Gama at the São Januário stadium. Santos went on to win the match 3-1. It is one of the most popular and traditional Brazilian clubs.
HistoryThe golden yearsThe club enjoyed its peak in the sixties, having players like Pelé, Coutinho, and Pepe.1 In its peak Santos won 9 state championships; two Libertadores cups and 6 Brazilian championships. However, the end of the club's best period coincides with the substitution of the Taça Brasil with the Campeonato Brasileiro, which it would take the club 30 years to win. CongoIn 1969 in the Congo. The Kinshasa (the former Belgian Congo) and the Brazzaville (the former French Congo) governments were engaged in a war when Santos arrived at the Kinshasa airport heading to Brazzaville, where it would play against the Congo-Brazzaville national team. On January 19, 1969, Santos beat the Congo-Brazzaville national team 3-2.2 On January 21, 1969, to be allowed to return to Kinshasa, Santos had to play against a Congo-Kinshasa national team, which the club won 2-0.2 On January 23, 1969, Santos played against a Kinshasan club named Leopards, losing 2-0. After that match, they returned to Brazil.2 1972-onwardsIn 1972 Pelé retired from professional football. From 1972 onwards Santos only won three significant titles: the São Paulo state championship in 1978 and 1984, and the Copa Conmebol international title — the precursor of the current Copa Sudamericana - in 1998. Santos was also the runner-up in the Brazilian championships of 1983 (won by Flamengo) and 1995 (won by Botafogo). The recent yearsSantos started enjoying success again when President Marcelo Teixeira, having spent several million reais on players, decided to try a new management formula to run the football team during financial difficulties, that basically was to stick to the players coming up the club's ranks, hire Leão as coach in an attempt to develop new emerging talents for the professional league. Marcelo Teixeira also honored former Santos' president Modesto Roma with a bust, inside the Vila Belmiro Stadium.3 The club renew its stadium by increasing its capacity, sign players and invest in infrastructure such astraining fields, medical and physiotherapist facilities. This rehabilitation policy proved effective and the club was soon replenished with numerous players (among them Robinho, Diego, Elano, Léo and Renato). In 2002 Santos were national champions for the first time since 1968, and in 2004 won the league again. StadiumSantos' home stadium is the Urbano Caldeira (also known as Vila Belmiro), inaugurated on October 12, 1916. It has a capacity of 20,120 people, but its record attendance is 32,989 people, in a game against Corinthians in 1964.4 Current squad 2008First Squad
Out on loan
2008 transfers
Significant titlesInternational competitionsWorld championships
Continental championships
National competitions
Youth competitions
Friendly tournaments
Notable playersNotable coaches
References
External links
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