Robinho: City can make me the best

ROBINHO is confident he can still achieve his goal of becoming the world’s best player after swapping Real Madrid for Manchester City last summer.

Robinho moved to City for a British record £32.5million on transfer deadline day after an acrimonious departure from Madrid, and he has enjoyed a fine start to life at Eastlands with 11 Premier League goals already.

That is already as many as the Brazilian international managed in the most prolific of his three seasons at Madrid, and has left him second behind only Nicolas Anelka in the top-flight scoring charts.

It has also given Robinho further hope of fulfilling his goal of becoming the best player on the planet, something he feels he would not have become at the Bernabeu.

“I never thought that at Real Madrid I could achieve my objective of being the best player in the world. Neither could I be the leading goalscorer. So the best thing was to leave,” said Robinho.

“I hope to show my best football in England. Some (Brazilian) players have had bad luck in the Premier League because they have not adapted but, in this sense, I’ve had luck.

“When I left Santos and signed for Madrid I was convinced I was going to be the best player in the world. Now I’m at City, I can fulfil my dream of being the best.”

The current holder of that crown plays across town from Robinho, with Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo winning the FIFA World Player award, the Ballon d’Or and FIFPro’s player of the year after helping the Red Devils clinch the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup in 2008.


LAST night’s results —

FA Cup fourth round replay: Arsenal P Cardiff P, Burnley 3 West Brom 1.

The Coca–Cola League Championship: Bristol City 2, Charlton 1; Crystal Palace P Birmingham P, Preston 1 Plymouth 1, QPR P Swansea P, Sheff Wed P Barnsley P, Southampton 1 Sheff Utd 2, Wolverhampton 3 Norwich 3.

League One: Brighton P Peterborough P, Carlisle P Hereford P, Cheltenham P Tranmere P, Crewe P Yeovil P, Huddersfield 1 Hartlepool 1, Leyton Orient P Leeds P, Millwall P Colchester P, Northampton P Swindon P, Oldham Athletic P Bristol Rovers P, Southend P Scunthorpe P, Stockport 0 Milton Keynes Dons 1, Walsall 1 Leicester City 4.

League Two: Aldershot P Chesterfield P, Chester 0 Rochdale 2, Dag and Redbridge P Bournemouth P, Exeter P Port Vale P, Lincoln City P Macclesfield P, Luton P Grimsby P, Morecambe 2 Brentford 0, Notts County P Gillingham P, Rotherham P Bury P, Shrewsbury 2 Accrington Stanley 0, Wycombe P Barnet P.