Robinho Arrives in Style, Continuing the Return of the Big Name Brazilians

Some would argue that moving from the richest club on earth to the club you started your career at is a step backwards. Robinho disagrees. The Brazilian forwarder celebrated his six month loan move from Man City to Santos by touching down at Vila Belmiro in a helicopter. With Pelé. Yep, the Pelé, who’s a Santos legend. Word is that a gang of sponsors will be paying Robinho’s £130,000ish per week wages while he’s wearing a Santos shirt, and that a permanent move isn’t impossible.

It’s easy to be snarky about Robinho’s return. Just listen to the tone of the TV report above. Read my first paragraph even. But I’d also argue that it’s brilliant to see so many Brazilian superstars returning to domestic Brazilian football. In the year 2010 you’ll be able to catch not just Robonho playing for Santos, but also Adriano in a Flamengo shirt and the dynamic duo of Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos playing for Corinthians. For a league that had gotten used to seeing its star players cross the Atlantic, you can’t begrudge Brazilian football fans the chance to see the big names up close again.

- For more on Santos, read Santos Offside.

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Category: South America