I WAS SENT BY PELE’
8/31/2010 5:49:00 PM
Robinho is a Milan player. Born in 1984, Binho is an internationally recognised star. At the age of 15, he was accompanied by Pele’ to his first training session at Santos.
(IN THE PHOTO: Robinho wearing the Brazillian national team’s shirt)
MILAN – When in 2003, fourty years after the last Libertadores Cup victory of Santos, the Robinho’s team reached again the the competetion’s final against Boca Juniors, a chill ran down the spine of a lot of football fans. After the club’s victorious season in 1963, during which Santos became champion of South America and then the world by beating Milan, the squad from San Paolo hasn’t reached the last stage of the competition. And seeing that Milan won the Champions League in 2003, everything was almost in place for a new meeting between the two teams: first the duel of Trapattoni faced Pele in 1963, then that of Maldini and Robinho in 2003. But in the end, it was Boca Juniors who won the Libertadores Cup thus setting up a Club World Cup final against the Rossoneri. But, obviously, the ways of Milan and Robinho were destined to cross each other one day. It happened today, as Robinho became a Milan player. Binho is a star, no doubt about it, esteemed also by O’Rey Pele. In fact, he great Edson Arantes do Nascimento was the one who accompanied the then 15-year-old player to his first training at Santos.
Robson de Souza, as known as Robinho or Il Rob, and from today on he can be called Binho as well seeing the success of Dinho, signed for Milan today. Brazilian, but in possession of a Spanish passport as well, Robinho was born in São Vicente (Brazil), on January 25, 1984, and arrives at Milan from Manchester City. The Parque Bitaru (district of Sao Vicente, Santos) native started to play football at an early age. He first attended the Beira-Mar football school and in his first season his team won the championship. In 1993, at the age of 9, he scored 73 goals playing for Portuarios, a 5-a-side football team. They finished second in the championship of the state of Sao Paolo. His displays haven’t gone unnoticed, as he was signed by Santos. With his new team Robinho won the Under-17 championship of the state of Sao Paolo with immediately.
He won the Brazilian national championship for the first time in 2002, at the age of 18. During the season, his first one as a professional player, he scored 9 goals in 24 matches. His second national title arrived in 2004. This year Robinho finished second behind Carlos Tevez in the race for the Balon de Oro (the South American equivalent of the European Golden Ball). He played 104 games for Santos, scoring 44 goals in the championship. After long negotiations between Santos and Real Madrid, the young Brazilian joined the Spanish club in the summer of 2005. He spent three seasons in Madrid, playing 131 games for the Blancos, and scoring 35 goals in the process, before signing for Manchester City in the late summer of 2008. His somewhat unexpected acquisition marked the beginning of a new era at the English club.
On January 28, 2010, Robinho returned to Santos in a loan deal, which expired on July 4, 2010. During this period he scored 11 goals in 12 appearances. At the end of the season Robinho had to return to Manchester City. His debut for Brazil took place on July 13, 2003, against Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2003. Playing for the South American national team, Robinho has won two FIFA Confederations Cup (2005, 2009) and participated in the World Cup in Germany, in 2006, where he played in the Selecao’s every game. He also won the Copa America in 2007, scoring a hat-trick against Chile. He finished the tournament with 6 goals, winning awards as Best player and Top scorer of the competition. As for World Cup 2010 in South Africa: 2 goals, one of which in the last sixteen against Chile (3-0 victory for Brazil), and one in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands.
Welcome Robinho, and good luck for your adventure at Milan!
