Emerging Talents and Ongoing Challenges at Santos FC

Robinho Junior, following in his father’s footsteps, has progressed through the youth ranks of Santos FC and made his senior professional debut during the 2025-26 season. At the tender age of 17, his opportunities on the pitch have been somewhat limited, as he has featured in nine league matches, with his first start occurring just last week against arch-rivals Palmeiras. Although Santos lost the match 2-0, the young forward displayed commendable technical skill and an ability to contribute to the team’s offensive strategies until he was substituted in the 65th minute.

Despite the defeat in the derby, Santos FC manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda praised Robinho Junior’s performance, stating to reporters: “I was impressed with his first-half play. We struggled with possession in the second half, but he delivered a solid performance, especially for his first start. He has great potential for growth. I have spoken with him about his future; he will become a remarkable player. While he needs to improve his statistics, including assists and goals, he is certainly on the right path.”

In a stark contrast, Robinho, who was convicted in 2017 for his involvement in the gang rape of an Albanian woman celebrating her 23rd birthday at a Milan nightclub in 2013, continues to serve his sentence. This conviction was upheld by the Italian Court of Cassation in January 2022. Since March 2024, he has been incarcerated at Tremembe prison, located 150 kilometers from São Paulo. Robinho has consistently maintained his innocence, and his legal team has submitted a request for his release. However, his appeal was denied by Brazilian authorities, who voted 10-1 to keep him in custody. Furthermore, a vote in November confirmed the transfer of his sentence from Italy to Brazil.

Justice Luiz Fux spoke to CNN Brasil regarding the legal proceedings, stating: “The declaration of opposition is only admissible in cases of ambiguity, obscurity, contradiction, or omission in a sentence or ruling, as outlined in Article 619 of the CPP. The defense’s arguments are unreasonable. The Supreme Court plenary, by majority, explicitly rejected the principle of non-retroactivity as outlined in Article 5, XL of the Federal Constitution, deeming it inapplicable to this case.”

Meanwhile, Neymar, who returned to Santos FC in January of this year, is nearing the end of his contract, and the club remains hesitant about offering an extension. Club president Teixeira commented on the situation: “The Neymar project is not a short-term endeavor; it is focused on the 2026 World Cup. Santos understood the commitment involved in bringing Neymar back, which requires significant investment. Both Santos and Neymar are regularly evaluating the situation. While we initially assessed the project when he returned, our evaluation today is different. Financial considerations will be reviewed by both parties until the end of the year. Neymar is not concerned about finances, but Santos has its limits. If we can find common ground, we can confirm his continuity. I believe we will resolve this at the appropriate time.”

Brazil’s national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has also expressed concerns regarding Neymar’s physical condition, indicating that the player may need to adopt a more central role, as he can no longer keep pace with the demands of playing as a winger.