Robert de Pinho de Souza

Infobox Football biography
playername= Robert


fullname = Robert de Pinho de Souza
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|2|27
cityofbirth = Salvador
countryofbirth = Brazil
height = 1.84 m
nickname =
currentclub = UAG Tecos
clubnumber = 9
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1999–2000
2000–2001
2001–2002
2002
2003
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–2006
2006–2007
2007
2008
2008-
clubs = Coritiba
Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto
Servette FC
São Caetano
Kawasaki Frontale
FC Spartak Moscow
CF Atlas
PSV Eindhoven
Real Betis
Al-Ittihad
CF Monterrey→U.A.G.("loan")

caps(goals) = 014 0(2)
000 0(0)
019 0(8)
012 0(3)
016 0(6)
008 0(1)
044 (33)
015 0(2)
044 (16)
000 0(0)
016 0(0)
005 0(2)

nationalyears =
nationalteam = Brazil U-20
Brazil U-23
nationalcaps(goals) = 12 (?)
5 (?)
pcupdate = 20 January 2008
ntupdate = 31 August 2007

Robert de Pinho de Souza, commonly known as Robert de Pinho or simply Robert, (born February 27, 1981 in Salvador, Brazil) is a Brazilian footballer, who currently plays for Mexican club UAG Tecos as a striker.

Career

Beginnings

Robert began his professional career with Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto of Brazil, where he played in 2001. He made a move to São Caetano in 2002, and played with them until mid-2003, when he was transferred to Spartak Moscow. After less than a season with Spartak, however, he returned to the Americas, signing with CF Atlas. He did exceptionally well in his first season with Atlas, scoring 16 goals in 21 games during the 2004 Clausura. He repeated his performance in the 2004 Apertura, leading them to the semifinals of the liguilla, where they were eliminated by UNAM Pumas.

PSV Eindhoven

Robert moved from to PSV Eindhoven for £2.0 million, in January 2005. He made 7 league appearances, scoring 1 goal. During the UEFA Champions League quarter-final match against Olympique Lyonnais, he kept his nerves in check to deliver his decisive spot-kick which sent his team into a semi-final showdown with eventual losing finalist AC Milan. Although he hardly had the time to impress in the Champions League games, he played an excellent match against the Italian giants in the return leg at Philips Stadion, with PSV winning 3-1 and being ousted on away goals, and he himself came close to scoring when he cracked a long range shot which just missed the Milan left post by a matter of inches.

Real Betis

Robert was loaned by PSV to Real Betis for two years, arriving during the 2006 January transfer window. His signing was pivotal in the efforts of Betis to avoid relegation, scoring 7 La Liga goals, including two against Villarreal in a 2-1 win at El Madrigal and a winning penalty against bitter rivals Sevilla FC in a 2-1 win at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera. Robert also scored one UEFA Cup goal against AZ Alkmaar. Due to the injury of fellow Brazilian and team-mate Ricardo Oliveira, Robert's importance to Betis gradually grew in importance, as he finished the club's top goalscorer for the season. His second season, however, was poorer (still managed 9 league goals in 29 appearances) and he eventually left Real Betis in July 2007, with a return to CF Atlas the most likely outcome.

CF Monterrey

On August 22 2007, Robert signed for Saudi Arabian team Al-Ittihad. On December 4, 2007 Mexican media announced the transfer of Robert to the Mexican football club CF Monterrey, where he was paired up in attack with the Chilean Humberto "El Chupete" Suazo, formerly of club Colo Colo.

Tecos UAG

While in Tecos, Robert made a promise that he would score on CF Monterrey because Monterrey had sold him as a result of lack of goals. Robert achieved his goal by not only scoring 2 goals on CF Monterrey, but passed it to Topo Valenzuela for the fourth goal. In conclusion, Tecos beat Monterrey 4-2 in Monterrey.

External links

*es icon [http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/ Official Website Of Real Betis Balompié S.A.D.]
* [http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/Players/Player=63684/index.html Profile At UEFA.com]
* [http://www.football.fr/fr/football/joueurs/6/_robert_17926.html Profile at Football.fr]