Santos acted swiftly Thursday, appointing Cuca as head coach hours after dismissing Juan Pablo Vojvoda. The Brazilian club finalized a deal keeping Cuca until the end of 2026, marking his fourth stint at Vila Belmiro after previous tenures in 2008, 2018, and 2020-2021.

Vojvoda's departure followed Santos' 2-1 home defeat to Internacional, where Neymar scored an equalizer before Johan Carbonero's injury-time winner. The Argentine never even attended his post-match press conference as news of his firing broke immediately after the final whistle.

Vojvoda had replaced Cleber Xavier in August 2025 when Santos sat two points above the relegation zone, finishing 12th last season. However, the team has struggled this campaign with four wins and six losses in 15 matches. Recent form includes just one win in five games and elimination from the Campeonato Paulista by second-tier Novorizontino.