All the great clubs in world soccer history have built their career on a major securities outstanding or campaigns. But Santos FC, more over, has almost magical in its 99 years certainly made a unique: Stop a war.
The feat came 42 years ago, on February 4, 1969, during a trip to Africa, when a match between Santos and Selection in the Central West of Nigeria in Benin. The game was not on the original itinerary of the trip, because I fear that local militants had happened hostile demonstrations on the day of departure because of the clashes that occurred between Nigerian and East African separatists who wanted to create a country with the name of Biafra . Still, the match went ahead. But for that, as reported at the time of Gilberto Marques Beaver, sent a reporter from the newspaper "Tribuna", Santos, for the tour, when players from Santos Fc reached the Nigerian city was declared a public holiday in the afternoon of that day by then governor of the Nigerian region, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Ogbemudia. The same also authorized the bridge over the river that connected the city of Benin Sapele had released the transition for everyone, without distinction, could watch the game. "It was strange because it was the country divided and at war. But from the moment they knew they'd have the game, that party was forgotten. It was a small field, I remember very well. "said the legendary player Lima
Santos won the friendly match by 2-1 with goals from Edu and Negreiros. The squad : Gilmar (Laércio); Turcão, Ramos Delgado, Joel Camargo and Rildo (Oberdã), Lima and Negreiros (Marçal), Mané Maria, Toninho Guerreiro ( Douglas), Pelé (Amauri) and Edu (Abel).
The civil war began in 1967 and ended in January 1970 with the death of over a million civilians, decimated by hunger and fighting.
If my Santos can stop a war.....whos barcelona haha, get ready, the Fifa world champion is coming back home in BRASIL!!!