His motives may be easy to understand, the surge of Ronaldinho Gaúcho in Milan threatens his spot in the Brazilian National team that is going to South Africa. Reportedly, coach Dunga told him that he needs to play somewhere to justify his presence in the squad. However, he is not even performing enough to prove he can be in the Brazilian bench. Mancini compared Robinho to Adriano: when he was back in Internazionale, the forward came back to Brazil to play for half a season for São Paulo, and then came for good to play for Flamengo and clearly improved his football. Adriano is now considered a no brainer for a spot in South Africa. Now all four forwards that were in the Seleção in 2006 are playing in Brazil, with Ronaldo in Corinthians and Fred in good shape in Fluminense.

One thing Robinho will surely have in Brazil is weaker opponents. Santos first half of the season brings two challenges: the Campeonato Paulista, a local tournament that runs until May, mostly with teams that are not even in the national championship, and some big clubs, like São Paulo and Corinthians, with their eye on another crown, the Copa Libertadores. Santos will also play the Brazilian Cup with teams that do not get a spot in the Libertadores, the Cup is always a good place to show off and win a title after just 12 games.

So now, at an age where he should be peaking in performance, Robinho chooses to surrender for a spot in a Premier League contender to come back to Brazil, a good measure to understand how his career got off track is a really common coparison that brazilian media makes everytime that Robinho is not playing well, watch Tevez! They were born just two weeks apart 26 years ago, in poor neighborhoods near big cities. In 2003, they first met when Tevez helped Boca win the Libertadores final against Robinho and Santos in São Paulo. Then in 2005 Tevez accepted the shady MSI offer to come to Corinthians and they won that year’s Brazilian Championship. Robinho went to Real Madrid and Tevez managed to save West Ham from relegation prior to two good seasons with United, they met again in the City of Manchester Stadium, and it is easy to assume why the supporters like the Argentinian so much.

Dunga probably will call Robinho up to the team for South Africa, but this will be make or bust for him, a really good player that has an enourmous ego and was labeled as a flop in the UK.

During his first game back in Brazil today, Robinho came off the bench and capped a cross magically, giving Santos the win over São Paulo. In a much anticipated game by the brazilian media, Robinho was exactly… Robinho.

The two South American powerhouses will take their rivalry to Rosario, an industrial city around 150km from the capital Buenos Aires, to play in the Rosario Central venue “Gigante de Arroyito” (literal translation is “Giant from the little river”), a very intimidating stadium for the Brazilians – and one with a history in this confrontation as well.

Back in the 1978 World Cup, which Argentina hosted and eventually won, an almost all South American semifinal took place: Polland, Peru and the two giants played for a place in the final. The game between Brazil and Argentina took place in the mid-June- Argentine’s winter, with a high dose of intensity from the local players, really rough at times, and especially from the fans. One famous tale that is told about on that game is: the Brazilians’bus was not allowed to enter the stadium, leaving the players across the street from it, so they had to walk some meters surrounded with local passionate fans screaming “nice” things in their ears. Maradona hand-picked this place to face Brazil beacuse he knows the power of 40,000 + Argentinian fans rooting against Brazil.

Fast forwarding 30 years into time, we have two really technical teams that most likely will be playing for the title next year. However, while Dunga maintained a style of game that gave Brazilians hope and a Confederations’ Cup this summer, Maradona looks a bit lost on how to give room to some really skillful players, like Messi and Aguero, and – at the same time – cut the spaces from the opponent. My bet is on a draw. Mainly because the defensive system of the Argentinians is not working well, to a point where even the people there think Brazil’s defense is better. Bear in mind: last time Brazil won in Argentinian soil was in 1995. The last two games there finished with normal wins for the local side.

After some good results, Brazil is leading the way to South Africa with 27 points, they can clinch their place there with a draw in Rosario or a win at their next game with Chile in Salvador. Argentina, on the other hand, is 5 points behind, and with Ecuador and Uruguay in its neck to get to the top four that have guaranteed places, and after Brazil they have to face another tough match in Paraguay. On the first encounter for these World Cup Qualifying Round, they drew without goals in Brazil.

Trash talk, passionate crowds, great players on both sides. That’s pretty much the best anyone can hope for a fine soccer match. Saturday night’s gonna be a special one, certainly to be remembered for years to come. It doesn’t matter if it makes into the world record of all times: Argentina and Brazil have a a rivalry of its own and seeing both countries fighting for. “whatever” is always good. Watch out!