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Brazil's Robinho Completes Move To Real Madrid.

Submitted by Neville Nixon on Fri, 26/08/2005 - 20:06.

As the transfer deadline in Europe approaches, another top International player has switched clubs. Brazilian international Robinho has completed his £20m move from Santos to Real Madrid after passing a medical.
The 21-year-old has signed a five-year contract and was paraded to the press on Friday.

Real are coached by former Santos boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo and Brazilian internationals Julio Baptista, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos are at the club.
"Real Madrid is a pseudo-Brazilian team," said chief of medical staff Alfonso Del Corral. "Robinho will have a coach he knows." He added: "He will also have a fitness staff he knows and will play alongside team mates from the Brazilian national side. I think he will be very comfortable straight away" He continued, "With the support of the fans, that can't wait for him to join the team, his adaptation will be very quick."

Robinho scored twice in his final home match for Santos in their 4-3 Brazilian championship win over Figueirense on Sunday and played his last game for the club in a 3-2 win at Paysandu on Wednesday.

His arrival pushed Michael Owen closer to the exit door at The Bernabeu. Robinho, who was won 12 caps for his country and scored four goals, is one of the world's most exciting players and was an ever-present in the Brazil team that won the Confederations Cup in Germany last month. His trickery, ball skills and physique has led to comparisons with Pele, who spent most of his career at Santos.

Last November he was in the news after being sidelined by coach Luxemburgo - now Real's coach - when his mother Marina de Souza was kidnapped for 40 days after being abducted by two armed men.

Two days after her release, Robinho returned to the side and Santos beat Vasco da Gama 2-1 in their last game to clinch their second Brazilian championship in three years. However, the kidnap incident is said to have helped convince Robinho he should leave Brazil to play abroad.

High profile South American players have increasingly become targets for kidnap and extortion, more will leave unless their security can be guaranteed, Corinthians for example, with their hugely expensive squad, have constant 24 hour security for their players, who are escorted everywhere by armed bodyguards.