As a 15-year old, Pele selected the youngster as his successor at Brazilian club Santos. The teenager didn’t disappoint as he led the club to a Brazilian Serie A title three years later at the age of 18. The diminutive Brazilian matched the feat two years later as Santos won the title again.
In 2005, Robinho’s future looked bright when he moved to Real Madrid at the age of 21. Despite playing over 120 times for Madrid, the striker left many fans wanting more from a player labeled the next big thing.
It was Madrid’s desire to sign then-Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, that led to Robinho’s departure from the club.
A stop at Manchester City as the first big signing by the Abu Dhabi Group was followed by a loan back to Santos in Brazil. There he found success yet again as he helped the club win a State Championship and Brazilian Cup.
Robinho scored 10 goals in 2011-12 in Serie A.
Robinho was signed by the Milan for $23.6 million in August 2010. His signature came a mere three days after Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic put pen to paper.
In all, Milan shelled out nearly $55 million for the strike pair – however, Ibrahimovic’s initial move was only a loan deal from Barcelona and was not made permanent until a year later.
Currently, the Brazilian is in his third year of a four year deal with the Rossoneri. During his time with the club, like in Madrid and Manchester City, Robinho has polarized opinion amongst many of the club’s supporters.
In 90 matches for Milan, the Brazilian has had his ups and downs. His 25 goals and 15 assists over that time have been a big part of Milan’s attack, and to some justifies his price tag.
He and Ibrahimovic gelled well together, unlike Alexandre Pato and Ibrahimovic, giving the Rossoneri one of the most feared attacks in Serie A. The two combined for 36 goals in Milan’s Scudetto winning season of 2010-11 and 44 goals in 2011-12.
Milan no longer have the most feared attack in calcio.
Yet, many supporters turn to Robinho’s lack of finishing and inability to step-up in big games as his major drawbacks.
In last season’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg against Barcelona, Robinho had the opportunity to put Milan up early, only to send his shot over the crossbar.
There’s no doubt an early Milan goal would have changed the complexion of the tie. The Brazilian matched that shot in the second-leg when he was unable to fully connect with a pointblank volley.
Robinho’s injury record at the club has also been quite poor – though not along the lines of Pato – and the Brazilian has only featured four times this season. This week it was announced he will miss another 10 days with a thigh injury, leaving Milan even thinner in regards to creativity.
With Milan cutting the wage bill last summer and Santos’ continued admiration for the striker, it was a surprise Robinho didn’t make the return to Brazil during the mercato. However, with just over a year and a half left on his current deal, Robinho’s Milan exit mustn’t be too far off.
To some, Robinho’s legacy may be like that of numerous other players around the world: Great in his homeland, but unable to live up to the hype and expectations elsewhere. Still others will celebrate the player, who won two league titles in Spain and a Scudetto in Italy.
Like many Brazilians, Robinho looks destined for a lucrative deal in Brazil thanks to the country’s financial growth. But regardless of where he goes next, Robinho is sure to divide opinion of supporters.
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