Clubs: Santos FC, Real Madrid CF, Manchester City FC, Santos FC (loan), AC Milan (loan)

• A product of the Santos academy, Robinho broke into the senior team as a teenager and struck seven goals in 2002 as he and fellow youngster Diego inspired the club to the Brazilian title and Santos' run to the 2003 Copa Libertadores final.

• Struck 21 goals in Santos' march to the championship in 2004 and joined Madrid on a five-year contract for €24m in August 2005, shortly after he had scored twice in Brazil's triumphant FIFA Confederations Cup campaign in Germany; ever-present as the Seleção retained the trophy four years later in South Africa.

• An international since July 2003, Robinho featured in four matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, top scored with six goals as Brazil triumphed in the Copa América a year later and struck twice at the 2010 World Cup, including the opener in a 2-1 quarter-final loss to the Netherlands.

• Overlooked initially by coach Fabio Capello, he played a key role in Madrid's title back-to-back wins in 2006/07 and 2007/08 prior to joining Manchester City for €42.5 million on 1 September 2008.

• Made an immediate impact in the Premier League by scoring on his debut against Chelsea FC (1-3) and adding a further 13 league goals, but injury sidelined him for three months in his second season and a failure to score in ten league outings prompted a six-month loan to Santos, with whom he won the Copa do Brasil.

• Loaned to Milan, where he returned to form, for 2010/11 and quickly became a key figure in the Rossoneri's three-pronged strike force, registering six Serie A goals before the winter break.