Coutinho spoke about his decision to leave Vasco da Gama during his presentation at Santos, reflecting on his final period at the club.

On Monday, as Santos' new player Philippe Coutinho was officially presented, he spoke about his decision to leave Vasco da Gama. He decided to depart the club after the Campeonato Carioca quarterfinal match against Volta Redonda on February 14, which fell on Carnival Saturday.

Coutinho said: "In my final matches at São Januário, I knew many people would say: 'Ah, it's just some jeers.' But everyone who was there knows that the entire stadium was chanting my name, insulting me, and asking me to leave. It was very difficult. Even though I know these things happen in football, Vasco has always been my home."

Coutinho returned to Vasco with a warm welcome from fans and made his comeback debut in July 2024. Since then, his performances were inconsistent, but he always received support from supporters. From early 2026 onward, with the team's poor form, Coutinho faced jeers for the first time on February 11 in a Série A matchday, a 0-1 home defeat to Bahia.

Three days later, Vasco faced Volta Redonda in the Campeonato Carioca quarterfinal. This single-elimination match was played at 8:30 AM on February 15, Beijing time, with more than 8,000 fans attending São Januário.

In the first half, Vasco's overall performance was poor, trailing 0-1. After the referee blew the whistle for halftime, fans began insulting head coach Fernando Diniz for the first time, and Coutinho also received some jeers. Players like Leão-Jardim, Cuesta, and Lucas Piton were also booed during the first half.

In the dressing room, Coutinho voluntarily asked to be substituted and shed tears. He did not return to the bench in the second half. The next day, Coutinho asked Vasco to terminate his contract.

In the second half, without their number 10, Vasco equalized through a Spinelli goal and ultimately advanced to the Campeonato Carioca semifinal on penalties.

Subsequently, Coutinho posted on social media about mental health issues, stating that his time at Vasco had ended.

Globo Esporte reported that related issues had emerged in late 2025, and people close to Coutinho frequently discussed the situation. Head coach Fernando Diniz at the time was also aware of the situation but did not expect Coutinho to make such a sudden decision to leave.

It is believed that Coutinho's emotional state deteriorated after last year's Copa do Brasil final defeat. The midfielder was deeply frustrated as the team finished as runners-up. At that time, his greatest professional desire was to add glory to his Vasco return by winning a championship trophy.

On Monday, Coutinho also confirmed at his presentation ceremony at Santos that the Copa do Brasil final defeat in 2025 made his situation at the Rio de Janeiro club increasingly difficult.

Coutinho said: "While I was at Vasco, we had the chance to play in the Copa do Brasil final last year. For me, that was very heavy. I desperately wanted to win a trophy wearing a Vasco jersey. I have won many championships outside Brazil, but I returned with the mindset to win a championship and perhaps become an idol for the team. Unfortunately, none of that became reality.

"I never wanted to leave Vasco. But I had reached my limit. In that situation, I could no longer help the team."

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