Robinho's the Real deal *Andrew Downie* Archive<http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/archive?columnist=51&root=global>
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - The greatest footballer to leave Brazil in almost a quarter of a century packs his bags and moves to Madrid this week, leaving behind glorious memories for fans all across South America and a Santos team he helped make great again. Bongarts/GettyImages Robinho: Master of the *pedalada* and *elastica*. Robinho played his last game for Santos on Wednesday night, helping the Sao Paulo side to a 3-2 win against Paysandu that took them joint top of the table. Today he arrives at Real Madrid to join compatriots Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Julio Baptista in what is the perhaps the most-star studded squad international football has ever seen. Although at 21 he will be one of the youngest players in the squad, Robinho brings a special trickery and talent to Real. For three years now, the rubber-legged Robinho has treated Brazilian fans to some of the most breathtaking and memorable displays of skill ever seen on a football pitch. Foremost among them are his trademark *pedalada* and *elastica*. In the * pedalada* Robinho circles his foot around the top of the ball, bamboozling defenders who never know when he is going to lower his studs a few inches and dart off towards goal. In the *elastica*, he moves forward, the ball seemingly glued to feet attached to what look like elastic legs. All the time, he rocks his skinny frame from side to side, threatening to go left, then right, then left again. When he does it well, and he frequently does, Robinho can destroy opposing defences. Such moves have helped transform Santos from Pele's team to Robinho's team. No one player was able to stamp their personality on the club in the same way the King did until Robinho came along with his demoralising displays and cheeky grin. With Robinho in attack, Santos enjoyed most successful period since Pele departed for New York Cosmos. Between 1975, when Pele left, and 2002, the year Robinho made his debut, Santos won next to nothing. Since then they have won the Brazilian league championship twice, reached the final of the Copa Libertadores once and reached the semi final another time (and some fans believe they lost that because Robinho was on international duty). In short, Robinho rescued Santos from the post-Pele wilderness years and made them great again. 'People all over the world are talking about Santos again thanks to Robinho,' said Pepe, the forward who played for both club and country alongside Pele in the 1950s and 1960s. 'He's lifted the city. Santos is not just about Pele now it's about Robinho as well.' When Robinho burst onto the scene in 2002 he was a novelty player whose role was limited largely to producing the pedaladas and elasticas that threw defenders off balance. But under the tutelage of first Emerson Leao, and then Vanderlei Luxemburgo, his new manager at Real, he has developed into a player who can also cover, defend, shoot and score goals. Aged just 21 he is a better player than either Ronaldo or Ronaldinho Gaucho were when they left their homeland. The downside to it all was that as his skill and fame grew he became more of a commodity and in November last year his mother was kidnapped. She was released unharmed six weeks later after Robinho reportedly paid the kidnappers a £45,000 ransom. The incident cast a question mark over his love affair with Santos and he made it clear he wanted to leave Brazil and move somewhere safer. Things came to a head in July after he returned from winning the Confederations Cup with Brazil. Robinho refused to train, saying his mind was already in Madrid. The saga dragged on for weeks and it was only when a £28m deal was reached on July 22 that he returned to play out the remaining weeks of his contract. Photography/Empics Robino harked Santos back to the golden days of Pele and his all-star team of the 60s. Some fans turned against Robinho after he refused to play for his home town side but they forget that he gave the club more than any of the other regular performers who helped them to that unforgettable league title in 2002. Before Robinho said goodbye, midfield general Diego had gone to Porto; stylish wing back Elano had departed for Shakthar Donetsk; commanding centre back Paulo Almeida was off to Benfica; Renato, a regular in Brazil's midfield, moved to Seville; and bustling centre forward Ricardo Oliveira signed for Valencia. Robinho showed more loyalty and decided to move only after his family's safety was at risk. The youngster last week apologised for abandoning the club during the transfer wrangle and was treated as a hero again during his last home game for the club, Sunday's 4-3 win against Figueirense on Sunday night. In a triumphant send off, he scored two penalties, kissed the turf, and was hoisted from the pitch shoulder high. The truth is, though, is that it is not just Santos fans who will miss him. He scored 83 goals in 191 games but he brought something much more to the game. Robinho played football like nothing else mattered. Watching him with the ball at his feet was like watching football before agents, shirt sponsors, and pre-season tours to the Far East. Brazilians love Robinho, sometimes even more than they loved their own side, because he makes them happy. 'Robinho is a hero to the fans at all Brazilian clubs,' said Tostao, one of the stars of the 1970 World Cup winning side and himself no slouch in attack. 'The supporters admire and care for him not because of his technical ability. His easy going, fantastical and talented way is easy to relate to and his spontaneous and child-like grin have won the hearts of everyone.' Fans and commentators often compare Robinho to Pele, with one of Brazil's best-known television commentators even referring to him as Robson Arantes de Nascimento, as if he were the son of the great man himself. But although the Santos connection makes such comparisons inevitable, Robinho is less like Pele and more like Garrincha, the mercurial no. 7 whose crosses, dribbles and off the field high jinks brought him the nickname 'Joy of the People.' Bongarts/GettyImages Can Robinho eclipse compatriot Ronaldinho in Spain? Garrincha played most of his career for Botafogo in the 1950s and 1960s and was one of the stars of the Brazil sides that won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962. His bent legs and powerful thighs helped him beat almost any full back to the byline and his jinks and shenanigans, both on and off the field, were the stuff of slapstick. All he wanted to do was kick a ball about and have some fun while he was at it. Garrincha was, said his biographer Ruy Castro, 'the most amateur footballer professional football ever produced.' Robinho is undoubtedly more professional than Garrincha but he shares the same desire to entertain. Unlike Garrincha, however, who died sad and penniless, Robinho seems to have his head screwed on. He is an entertainer and not averse to getting involved in off the field pranks. On one famous occasion he pulled Diego's trousers down as he was having his photo taken for an official Brazil squad picture. He calmed down a little after that joke was criticised in the press and he last week promised to behave himself alongside footballing aristocrats like Raul, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane. Football fans, however, must hope he will not rein in the tricks and the travesties that made him great. For even the best believe that if he keeps his head down and continues to learn the most outstanding Brazilian player of recent times could be the one of the greatest to grace Europe. 'I think he has everything possible to be a big success at Real,' said Pepe. 'Robinho is quite simply fantastic.' [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/2_TolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> HAPUS BAGIAN EMAIL YG TIDAK PERLU SEBELUM ME-REPLY. ========================================================== Milis Tabloid BOLA Untuk KELUAR DARI MILIS INI. Kirim Mail kosong (tanpa subject) ke alamat [EMAIL PROTECTED] ========================================================== Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolaml/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
