Robert (footballer, born 1981)

2.1. Early Life and Background

Robert was born on February 27, 1981, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. His full name is Robert Pinho de Souza.

2.2. Professional Debut and Early Clubs

Robert began his professional career with Coritiba FC in Brazil, where he played from 1999 to 2000, making 34 appearances and scoring 11 goals. In 2001, he moved to Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto, contributing 7 goals in 7 appearances. He then had a spell in Switzerland with Servette FC from 2001 to 2002, where he registered 8 goals in 19 appearances. From 2002 to 2003, he returned to Brazil to play for São Caetano, making 12 appearances and scoring 3 goals.

3.1. FC Spartak Moscow and Club Atlas

On March 14, 2003, Robert signed a loan deal with Russian club FC Spartak Moscow until the end of the 2003 season, making 12 appearances and scoring 3 goals. Following this, he transitioned to Asian football, joining Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale from July to December 2003. During his time with Kawasaki Frontale, he made 16 appearances in the J2 League and scored 6 goals. He was brought in with expectations to help the team achieve J1 promotion but did not meet those expectations and departed at the end of the year.

After his stint in Japan, Robert returned to the Americas, signing with Mexican club Club Atlas. He had an impactful initial tenure with Atlas, scoring 16 goals in 21 games during the 2004 Clausura season. He maintained his impressive form in the 2004 Apertura, leading the team to the semifinals of the liguilla, where they were eventually eliminated by UNAM Pumas. Overall, he made 44 appearances for Club Atlas, scoring 33 goals.

3.2. PSV Eindhoven

In January 2005, Robert transferred from Club Atlas to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven for a fee of approximately 2.00 M GBP. He made 32 league appearances for PSV, scoring 7 goals. During the UEFA Champions League quarter-final match against Olympique Lyonnais, he successfully converted a decisive penalty kick, which sent his team into a semi-final showdown with eventual losing finalists AC Milan. Although he had limited time to make an extensive impression in the Champions League games, he delivered an excellent performance in the return leg against the Italian giants at Philips Stadion, where PSV secured a 3-1 victory, though they were ousted on away goals. In that match, Robert himself came close to scoring with a long-range shot that narrowly missed the Milan post. Across all competitions, he played 15 matches for PSV, scoring 7 goals.

3.3. Real Betis

Robert was loaned by PSV Eindhoven to Spanish club Real Betis for 1.5 years with a fee of 1.00 M EUR, arriving during the January 2006 transfer window. His signing proved pivotal in Real Betis's efforts to avoid La Liga relegation, as he scored 7 goals in the league. This included two goals against Villarreal in a 2-1 away victory at Estadio El Madrigal and a winning penalty against bitter rivals Sevilla FC in a 2-1 win at the Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera. Robert also scored one UEFA Cup goal against AZ Alkmaar. Due to an injury to his fellow Brazilian teammate Ricardo Oliveira, Robert's importance to Betis steadily increased, and he finished the season as the club's top goalscorer.

His second season, however, saw a slight decrease in performance, though he still managed to score 9 league goals in 29 appearances. Despite Betis exercising their option to buy Robert from PSV for 3.25 M EUR on April 4, 2007 (effective July 1), Robert refused to sign a permanent contract, which caused the transfer to collapse. He ultimately left Real Betis in July 2007 as a free agent, subsequently joining Al-Ittihad. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later ruled that despite the collapse of the transfer, Betis was still obliged to pay 1.56 M EUR as compensation to PSV. Overall, he made 81 appearances for Real Betis, scoring 21 goals.

4.1. Mexican Club Career (Second Stint)

Following his departure from Real Betis, Robert joined Saudi Arabian team Al-Ittihad on August 22, 2007. However, on December 4, 2007, Mexican media announced his transfer to CF Monterrey, where he formed an attacking partnership with Chilean goalscorer Humberto Suazo. At Monterrey, he made 16 appearances and scored 12 goals.

He then moved to Tecos UAG, where he had a period of mild success, ending the tournament with 5 goals. Tecos were eliminated in the quarterfinals. For Tecos, he played 19 matches and scored 5 goals. Following his time at Tecos, Robert was transferred to Club América, where he recorded 4 goals in 17 appearances. On June 8, 2011, it was announced that Robert de Pinho signed with Puebla FC during the "2011 Super Summer Draft" held in Cancun. He made 3 appearances for Puebla, scoring 4 goals. His final stint in the Mexican league was with Club Necaxa in 2013, where he played 12 matches and scored 11 goals.

4.2. Brazilian Club Career

In July 2009, Robert joined Palmeiras in Brazil. In the 2009 Série A season, he scored 5 goals in 12 matches, remarkably all as a substitute, becoming an important impact player in the squad. In 2010, Robert remained with Palmeiras and emerged as the team's key striker. On February 21, 2010, he scored two headed goals against rival São Paulo in a 2-0 victory for Palmeiras. This was a significant performance after he had faced criticism at the beginning of the Campeonato Paulista, where he had already scored 5 goals. On March 14, 2010, Robert achieved a perfect hat-trick against Santos, leading Palmeiras to a 4-3 win. This game was also notable for his unique goal celebrations.

On June 3, 2010, Robert was signed by Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte on a six-month loan from CF Monterrey. He made 14 appearances for Cruzeiro, scoring 3 goals. His extensive career in the Brazilian league also included spells at various other clubs:

• EC Bahia in 2011 (12 appearances, 4 goals).
• Avaí FC in 2011.
• Ceará SC in 2012 (16 appearances, 5 goals).
• Boa EC in 2013 (3 appearances, 2 goals).
• Fortaleza EC from 2013 to 2014 (22 appearances, 10 goals).
• Sampaio Corrêa FC in 2014 (8 appearances, 1 goal).
• EC Vitória in 2015 (11 appearances, 2 goals).
• Paraná Clube in 2016 (10 appearances, 3 goals).
• Oeste FC in 2017 (26 appearances, 6 goals).
• Audax in 2018 (13 appearances, 2 goals).
• Santa Cruz FC in 2018 (6 appearances, 6 goals).
• Portuguesa in 2018 (6 appearances, 1 goal).
• Floresta EC in 2018.

He also had a brief stint in Europe with Gżira United FC in Malta in 2016, making 6 appearances and scoring 1 goal.

4.3. Asian Club Career

Robert's career in Asian football included his early stint with Kawasaki Frontale in Japan, as mentioned above. After leaving Real Betis, he signed with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia on August 22, 2007, where he made 19 appearances and scored 9 goals.

On January 16, 2011, Robert joined South Korean K-League side Jeju United. His registration name in the K League was 호벨치_Hobeolchi^Korean. He made 13 appearances for Jeju United and scored 3 goals. His overall J.League record stands at 16 appearances and 6 goals, while his K League record is 13 appearances and 3 goals.

5.1. Youth National Teams

Robert was a part of the U-20 Brazil national team, notably participating in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. He also represented the U-23 Brazil national team.

6.1. Playing Style and Nickname

As a striker, Robert was recognized for his goal-scoring prowess and ability to find the back of the net through various methods. During his impactful spell at Palmeiras, particularly after his perfect hat-trick against Santos in a 4-3 victory, he became widely known as "Blade do Palestra". This nickname was given due to his notable resemblance to the American actor Wesley Snipes, who famously portrayed the character Blade in a trilogy of films. The moniker stuck, reflecting his powerful and decisive presence on the field.

7.1. Club Performance

Throughout his professional career, Robert made a total of 527 appearances and scored 212 goals. Detailed club performance statistics are listed below:

8.1. Legacy and Evaluation

Robert is widely regarded as a journeyman striker who demonstrated remarkable adaptability and a consistent knack for scoring goals throughout his career. His most notable impacts include his prolific spells with Club Atlas in Mexico, his crucial role in PSV Eindhoven's UEFA Champions League campaign, and his pivotal contributions to Real Betis in avoiding relegation in Spain. His ability to become a key striker for Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras and his memorable hat-trick performances further solidified his reputation as a formidable forward in Brazil.

While his career was not without challenges, such as the contract dispute with Real Betis after his loan spell, Robert generally maintained a strong professional demeanor. He responded to criticisms, as seen at Palmeiras, by delivering impactful performances, proving his resilience and commitment on the field. His legacy is one of a reliable and impactful attacker who consistently delivered for his teams, making him a memorable figure in the various football leagues he graced.