Robinho...

[Rozay]

Often forgotten man of Brazilian football. His talent was extreme, and his career promised so much. He won’t go down as a footballing great, but I think the things that he DID achieve are often overlooked. Basically, I don’t think he was as bad as history seems to remember him. He was probably Real Madrid’s best player for much of his time there, and his goal return was respectable, was their third top scorer in his time at the club.

He was close to joining Chelsea before being gazumped by City on deadline day in 2008. He scored 14 PL goals in his first season, 4th highest in the league, and he was not a striker. He and Wright-Phillips were quite a devastating pair I remember.

Anyway, just a little appreciation for him. I think he fell short of all that was expected of him, but he’s had a good European career at Real, City and Milan - and a good career in Brazil.

And above all else - he made it look good!

 

[izec]

He was a good player with a good career. Was hyped up to the max and the next Pele tag didn't help him

 

[11101]

He was a good player but I think the opposite to you. We agree he is thought of as some incredible talent that didnt fulfil his potential, but I think his talent is as overstated as his eventual failure. It was hyped up because he was supposed to be the successor to Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, and Brazil are supposed to have era defining number 9s. In reality he was never anywhere near them even in potential.

 

[Luke1995]

He achieved quite alot with the brazilian national team. 2005 Confederations Cup, 2007 Copa America as the key player and 2009 Confederations cup.

He should have started in the 2006 World Cup as he was in much better form than Ronaldo. He played very well in the 2010 World Cup too.

His Real Madrid career would be remembered more if he had won titles there. The consistency and quality of performances were there.

The City project was too soon. He had a good first season, very good actually, but in hindsight, their team in 2008 and 2009 was bad.

At Milan he wasn't the main man but he once again showed how great of a player he could be at times.

It can be argued he has a better career than Coutinho and Firmino for example.

 

[Luke1995]

Also, his peak years (2002-2010) were at the same time of Ronaldinho and Kaka's own career peaks, so Robinho was always a little bit in their shadow

 

[gormless]

Good player, convicted rapist

 

[Olofinjana]

Brilliant player.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Never quite understood the game when he didn' have the ball. Things like positioning and movement were alien to him. He was however unlucky not to move to Chelsea at the time.

 

[Charles Miller]

When a traditional football country is in reaching finals or winning the World Cup, many players in that generation are going to be overrated abroad. Before the 2018 wc, any new german player emerging in the Bundesliga was treated as super talent here in the Caf. Robinho was always fun to watch, since his first games for Santos. But i never thought he was a world class player.

 

[VorZakone]

Was his talent really 'extreme' though?

 

[Rozay]

He was a good player but I think the opposite to you. We agree he is thought of as some incredible talent that didnt fulfil his potential, but I think his talent is as overstated as his eventual failure. It was hyped up because he was supposed to be the successor to Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, and Brazil are supposed to have era defining number 9s. In reality he was never anywhere near them even in potential.

He wasn’t a number 9 though, so I think it unfair to have expected him to be an era defining 9. He was more supposed to be what Neymar turned out to be.

I think going to City hurt his career in terms of reputation. City has literally just got rich the same day they signed him. It was like Neymar going to play in France. He was close to joining Chelsea instead, and would have been far better served going there instead. They were at the top of the European game, having just got to a CL final a few months before.

On a global scale, he kind of got lost a bit going to City.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Ridiculous bs over the top hype about him.

He's good but every time I watch him play, I just don't feel any confident at all he'll reach those bs top potential many claims he will.

 

[paraguayo]

He had a good career at club and country. He won 2 La Ligas with Real Madrid, and won a Serie A with Milan, which is a scarse commodity for them. He was an important piece in all these titles, as he was the MVP of Copa America 2007 and played well in Confederations 2005, 2009 titles for whatever its worth.

He was a nice player to fit around other good players, not the 1-man attack it would thought of him potentially.

Thats why he did well in many clubs but not that well having to play with Stephen Ireland and Bellamy and sorts

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Basically, I don’t think he was as bad as history seems to remember him. He was probably Real Madrid’s best player for much of his time there

Was he though..?

What does history remember him by?
As a general consensus, I think he is just rightly rated.

 

[Rozay]

Was his talent really 'extreme' though?

In terms of pure ‘talent’ - I think so.


He was one of those hyped ‘next Pele’ Brazilians, transferee straight from Brazil into the Real Madrid first team for big money, given the #10 shirt etc. He was ‘supposed’ to be the heir.

 

[Rozay]

Was he though..?

What does history remember him by?
As a general consensus, I think he is just rightly rated.

He was in the top 10 for the Balon D’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008, man of the match in the Clasico. It ended badly, but he certainly did well there. In an era where wide men were not expected to score 30 a season yet, he was doing like 14 - only behind RVN and Raul for goals there, and behind only Guti for assists. He was their x-factor.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he was one of the greats, I’m saying that because he did NOT become one of the greats, he is only looked at from a position of failure, due to his early billing. The truth is, as often, somewhere in between.

 

[Tel074]

Yeah he really is a strange one isn't he . First thoughts with him I always would think he was a complete waste of space but those stats are pretty impressive. Just another extremely talented Brazilian who didn't hit the heights he could have

 

[Lay]

There was 6 months at Madrid where he was truly world class. He got injured and didn’t return the same.

 

[TheReligion]

Isn't he currently wanted by police?

 

[2 man midfield]

He thought he was signing for United, and I’ll continue to believe that as 100% fact in spite of the fact it may have been embellished.

 

[dumbo]

He had a world class feint but he didn't understand the game like a Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Romario, Rivaldo, Rivelino.

 

[Needham]

I remember when he signed for City and I thought, Robinho's signed for City. Then I thought, Robinho's signed for City. After a while I realized, Robinho's signed for City. Then I watched him play and I thought yeah, Robinho's signed for City. After a season it was obvious, Robinho's signed for City. Now looking back I think yeah, Robinho signed for City.

 

[11101]

He wasn’t a number 9 though, so I think it unfair to have expected him to be an era defining 9. He was more supposed to be what Neymar turned out to be.

I think going to City hurt his career in terms of reputation. City has literally just got rich the same day they signed him. It was like Neymar going to play in France. He was close to joining Chelsea instead, and would have been far better served going there instead. They were at the top of the European game, having just got to a CL final a few months before.

On a global scale, he kind of got lost a bit going to City.

#9, #10, you know what i mean. Brazil are always expected to have forwards who will be talked about for generations. After Ronaldinho they were searching for a name and Robinho was the one chosen, but he never had the talent to get to that level. It's a plight that's affected them ever since.

 

[FootballHQ]

Yeah he had a good career in europe without reaching heights of a Neymar.

Was more disappointed with his Santos partner in crime Diego. Came to europe with Porto where he didn't fit in at all but then really flourished in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen. That set him up for a move to Juventus where he completely flopped. Then was pretty average at Wolfsburg before he did well short term at Atletico Madrid.

Would've liked to have seen him in the premier league after Juventus flop, think he'd have done well in this league.

 

[Rozay]

Yeah he had a good career in europe without reaching heights of a Neymar.

Was more disappointed with his Santos partner in crime Diego. Came to europe with Porto where he didn't fit in at all but then really flourished in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen. That set him up for a move to Juventus where he completely flopped. Then was pretty average at Wolfsburg before he did well short term at Atletico Madrid.

Would've liked to have seen him in the premier league after Juventus flop, think he'd have done well in this league.

They always seem to pair them like that. There was the Robinho/Diego pair, of which Robinho had a more impressive career (although Diego did score that brilliant goal in the Nou Camp to put Atleti into the CL final) and there was Neymar/Paulo ‘Ganso’ Henrique - who amounted to nothing at all. Both were hyped Santos pairings - the forwards did a lot better than the 10s. Maybe it has something to do with the trend of the 10s becoming more obsolete in the European game during their time.

 

[El Jefe]

The downfall was the initial hype before he even joined Madrid. It was an almost identical situation with Neymar, the only difference is Neymar actually did meet the hype and if not for an ill timed move to PSG would be held in even higher regard.

Robinho actually had a fantastic career when you consider he's won the league in Brazil, Italy and Spain as well as multiple trophies with Brazil while earning 100 caps on the way. His downfall is what was around him, he played with and was expected to be as good as the likes of Ronaldo (R9), Ronaldinho, Kaka and Zidane. He also came through around the same time as Messi, Ronaldo and Robben and their achievements completely dwarfed his.