Modesto Roma Junior, former president of Santos, dies

Modesto Roma Júnior, former president of Santos Futebol Clube, died on Sunday afternoon (14), at the age of 71. The director was being treated for cancer and suffered a cardiac arrest. Modesto led the club from Baixada Santista between 2015 and 2017.

The fish won the São Paulo championship twice in 2015 and 2016 under Modesto as president of the club, since then, the team from Baixada Santista has not lifted another trophy.

Work in women's football

Well before taking over as president of Santos, Modesto Roma worked in the club's women's football department as an administrative supervisor from 2004 to 2009, the year in which the club won the women's Libertadores Cup for the first time.

In 2019, the former president was expelled from the club's membership by the Deliberative Council due to the disapproval of the accounts in his last year of management. The expulsion from the membership did not prevent the director from returning to work at the club, which happened at the beginning of 2024.

At the beginning of this year, the director's name was once again linked to women's football, however, this time, without a defined position in the department.

Santos publishes official statement

_{Note issued by Santos regrets the death of the former president (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@santosfc)}

On its official website and social media, Santos FC published a note lamenting the death of the former president and decreed official mourning for the next seven days. Read the official note issued by the club below.

“Santos Futebol Clube deeply regrets the passing of former president Modesto Roma Júnior. President of the Club in the 2015/2017 triennium, including the two-time São Paulo championship in 2015 and 2016, he was director of Peixe from 2004 to 2009, during Marcelo Teixeira's term, being one of the supporters of the women's soccer team, Sereias da Vila, which had the star Marta, with several titles, including the two-time Women's Libertadores championship.

Santos FC has declared seven days of official mourning and the flag will be flown at half-mast. Our condolences to family and friends.”

Santos will return to the field next Monday, against Ituano, at home. Before kick-off, a minute of silence will be held in honor of Modesto Roma Júnior.

Featured photo: Modesto Roma Júnior (Reproduction: Ivan Stort/Santos FC)