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SAO PAULO — The historic Santos club at Vila Belmiro Stadium that once impressed fans worldwide is now doing some serious soul-searching after its Brazilian league relegation. The club of Pelé and other soccer greats is currently in debt, politically divided, searching for new heroes and gloomy about its future with less money in the second division as Brazil's soccer becomes increasingly more competitive and expensive. Earlier, the same stadium where Pelé's funeral took place in January was invaded by angry fans asking for the club's president to appear.
