Football executive Alexandre Mattos has completed his first year in charge at Vila Belmiro.
Hired with the promise of “recovering assets” and maintaining “financial balance without going crazy,” the executive has gone through an intensely busy period behind the scenes: in 12 months, Santos had three permanent head coaches and made 17 signings.
The ge website therefore analyzed the balance of the executive’s spell at Peixe so far.
The Coaching Carousel
Santos’ technical command was a true carousel in the Mattos era, reflecting the team’s inconsistency on the pitch:
Cleber Xavier: He was already at the club and lasted only 8 matches under the new management (4 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses). He was fired in the locker room after suffering a heavy defeat to Vasco in the 20th round of last season’s Brasileirão.
Juan Pablo Vojvoda: The Argentine took over right after that and managed the team for 34 matches. His spell was inconsistent, with a 42% success rate (10 wins, 14 draws, and 10 losses), and he was dismissed weeks after Lucas Veríssimo arrived.
Cuca: The current coach led Santos in 19 matches before the break for the World Cup. He has 6 wins, 8 draws, and 5 losses, with a slightly better success rate of 45.6%.
The X-Ray of the 17 Signings: Hits and Flops
Between international gambles, mandatory purchases triggered by targets, and spot-on loans, Santos’ transfer business was split between glory and fan frustration.
🏆 The Biggest Successes
Gabigol: Without a doubt, the best deal of the administration. Loaned from Cruzeiro, the No. 9 rediscovered his old form at Vila Belmiro: he is the team’s top scorer and leading provider in 2026, with 14 goals and 7 assists in 27 matches.
Lucas Veríssimo: He returned after five years at Al-Duhail (Qatar) and quickly took over Santos’ back line, bringing the defensive solidity the squad had been lacking.
Álvaro Barreal: Signed permanently after hitting the targets in his loan spell, the forward is the team’s second-most used player this year (29 matches and 4 goals), showing great consistency.
⚠️ The Solid and Useful Ones
Igor Vinícius: He was the only player from the first wave of reinforcements to establish himself as the undisputed starter at right-back.
Christian Oliva: The Uruguayan midfielder arrived from Nacional and now sets the tempo in Cuca’s starting midfield.
Adonis Frías: Although he is not an undisputed starter, the center-back has already played 32 matches and scored 3 goals, making him an important part of the rotation.
❌ The Biggest Disappointments
Alexis Duarte: The center-back made a bizarre mistake in the Brasileirão opener against Chapecoense and became expendable. Loaned to Libertad (Paraguay) to gain visibility, he suffered a serious knee injury in his debut and will not play again in 2026.
Billal Brahimi: The Algerian arrived on a free transfer, but played only 20 minutes against Bragantino last year and spent the rest of the time forgotten on the bench. He ended up being loaned to Estrela da Amadora (Portugal).
Zé Ivaldo: Santos tried to limit his minutes to avoid triggering the mandatory purchase clause, but Vojvoda backed the player and the club had to buy him. Now out of favor, he is the last option in central defense.
Rony: Signed from Atlético-MG to replace Guilherme (sold to MLS), the forward disappointed. In 23 matches, he recorded just 1 goal and 1 assist, losing his place to the club’s academy youngsters.
🔮 The curious case of Gustavo Caballero: Criticized and overwhelmingly rejected by Santos fans, the Paraguayan forward was loaned to Portsmouth (England’s second division). To everyone’s surprise, his performances in Europe caught the attention of coach Gustavo Alfaro, and he ended up being called up by Paraguay for the 2026 World Cup.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
