Santos (Brazil)
| Date | Versus | W/L | Score | Attendance |
| 21.06.1968 | Napoli (Italy) (at Yankee Stadium, NY) | W | 4-2 | 43,002 |
| 26.06.1968 | Napoli (at Downing Stadium, NY) | W | 6-2 | 7,237 |
| 28.06.1968 | Napoli (at Varsity Stadium, Toronto) | W | 5-2 | 15,514 |
| 30.06.1968 | St. Louis Stars | W | 3-2 | 20,116 |
| 04.07.1968 | Kansas City Spurs | W | 4-1 | 19,296 |
| 06.07.1968 | Necaxa (Mexico) (at Los Angeles) | W | 4-3 | 12,418 |
| 08.07.1968 | Boston Beacons | W | 7-1 | 18.411 |
| 10.07.1968 | Cleveland Stokers | L | 1-2 | 16,205 |
| 12.07.1968 | New York Generals | L | 3-5 | 15,645 |
| 14.07.1968 | Washington Whips | W | 3-1 | 20,189 |
Report
Santos, with star attraction, Pele, went on a 10-game month-long tour of North America during June and July 1968. The tour started with three games against Italian side Napoli in New York and Toronto, attracting crowds of 43,000 at Yankee Stadium, home of Baseball’s New York Yankees, before moving on to play Midwestern teams St. Louis Stars and Kansas City Spurs, and then on to the West Coast where they played Mexican side Necaxa in Los Angeles, and then back to the East Coast to play Boston Beacons, winning all seven games before perhaps tiredness kicked in and the effects of so much travel, as they lost their next two games to Cleveland Stokers and New York Generals, before finishing up the trip with a win against Washington Whips.
The North American Soccer League had been established earlier that year, with the help of FIFA and the USSF, and was the first great attempt at bringing Professional Soccer to North America. The League lasted until 1983. Santos were one of the top sides in the World at the time, and rivaled unofficial World Club Champions, Racing Club of Argentina. They are based in the City of Santos in the Brazilian State of Sao Paulo.
References
Magazines
[1] Jose, Colin (1968) “Pele, what an attraction in the States” World Soccer. September 1968. pg 16.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Martin Slattery.
About this document
Researched, Compiled and Written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 1 August 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.