Goal.com 50

Goal.com 50: Robinho (50)

We now count down our 50 best players of 2008-09, and at No. 50 is the British record signing, Man City's samba star, Robinho...

Jul 7, 2009 10:00:00 AM

Robinho is rampant as Manchester City compound Arsenal's misery with a 3-0 romp (PA)

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Robinho is rampant as Manchester City compound Arsenal's misery with a 3-0 romp (PA)

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Robinho

50. ROBINHO (Manchester City & Brazil)

49. Marco Motta (Roma & Italy Under-21)

This time last year, not a mortal soul on the planet would have imagined Robinho signing for Manchester City mere months later in time for the start of the new season.

He was the marquee signing of a new era at Eastlands, with the Citizens now officially being the world's richest club following a mammoth takeover from the Middle East that shook world football to its core.

Fresh from winning La Liga and the Super Copa with Real Madrid, Robinho left the Bernabeu a dejected figure after he had been propositioned all summer to be a pawn in the Merengues' ploy to land Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United.

The Brazilian left under a cloud, demanding an exit, and though not getting his desired move to Chelsea, nevertheless grabbed the headlines for a whole other set of reasons.

The €42.5 million transfer fee paid by Man City, a British record, didn't intimidate the Brazilian even for a second, as he scored a superb free kick mere minutes into his debut, against none other than Chelsea. This, a man not in any way famed for his set-pieces. In City, he found a club where he could be the undisputed crown jewel and centre of all the team's attacking play.

His good form continued; he looked the club's classiest player, though not entirely consistent. He faced waves of criticism mid-way through the season for his failure to perform in away games, which contributed to the Citizens' dismal record on the road all season.

Despite his and others' endeavours in Europe, City were knocked out of the UEFA Cup, and their poor form, despite having spent the most money in Europe all season, even resulted in their failure to qualify for this coming season's Europa League. Robinho nevertheless finished as the side's top scorer with 14 goals, the fourth highest tally in the Premier League.

His sublime skill was, quite understandably, more prominent at international level. Over the course of the season, he continued to be Brazil coach Dunga's most consistently threatening and crowd-pleasing attacking player, scoring some sensational goals along the way, none more so than the scintillating strike against Italy at the Emirates in February, when his sensational skill gave Gianluca Zambrotta dizzy spells, before he slotted the ball past Gigi Buffon - with his weaker left foot, no less.

Scintillating | Robinho strikes as Brazil batter Italy

The 25-year-old took his good form to South Africa, and without truly excelling, nevertheless played his part in picking up his second Confederations Cup, and Brazil's third.

Yet, controversy continues to surround his current status within club football, as several critics claim he should not be playing for a club not in European competition. He has been linked with the likes of his original suitors Chelsea, as well as Real Madrid's bitter rivals Barcelona.

This is a player who, time and time again, has unreservedly declared his desire and determination to be the best player in the world. In 2007-08, starting with the Copa America - in which he was player of the tournament - he threatened to announce himself as one of the world's best.

And yet, though his goalscoring instinct and dynamism have been remarkable at City, his two honours from this season did not come with his current club and in this respect, he has been held back, illustrated by his ranking in our inaugural Goal.com 50, at 34, to his position 16 places lower this season.

But still, the free-roaming forward appears to be settled in and focused solely on Manchester City, determined to take the club and his own game to the next level in 2009-10, with domestic silverware and the Ballon d'Or no doubt already firmly in his sights.

2008-09 HONOURS

Real Madrid
Super Copa, 2008

Brazil
Confederations Cup, 2009

Sulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com

50. ROBINHO (Manchester City & Brazil)

49. Marco Motta (Roma & Italy Under-21)

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