ROBSON ROBINHO's first Press Conference in Mohun Bagan Colours
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| Robson Robinho |
Mohun Bagan’s sixth foreigner for the season Robson Azevedo da Silva has arrived on Monday (1st September, 2025) on a free transfer from Água Santa, a Brazilian Club that plays in Paulistão, the top tier of the São Paulo state football league, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série D (4th division of Brazilian Football Federation System). During his brief stint in this club, he was fortunate to play against the likes of Santos FC where he faced Neymar. Before that, he played for 4 years in Basundhara Kings, a top-tier Bangladesh club. Robson usually plays as the left winger, but he can adapt to play in the CAM role as well. With ACLTwo coming up in less than 2 weeks, he is excited to wear the Green and Maroon colours and lead the team to victory on the international stage.
On Tuesday i.e. today (2nd September, 2025), he attended his first press conference as a Mohun Bagan player. Here is the brief summary:-
মোহনবাগান প্রেস কনফারেন্সে রবসন রবিনহো 💚❤️
[Joy Mohun Bagan, MBFT] pic.twitter.com/2JuJZWg1RJ
Reporter 1: Robson, you've played in Bangladesh and now in India, what is the difference you have found in two countries' football style?
Robson: Good afternoon to all. The difference is the organisation here. India has the smarter organisation than Bangladesh and also the grounds at the stadiums here are better for the players to play football. Also, we have good local players here. And I have come here to help my team and to improve the growth and try to help to win the cup.
Reporter 2: Robson, in Bashundhara Kings, Miguel was there, as one of your colleagues, and he is with your arch rival team right now. And after watching the Durand Cup, the Mohun Bagan supporters were waiting and saying "when our robust and skilful Robson will come". And today is the press conference, what's your take on that? Any message to the supporters?
Robson: I said before I came here that I will help the team to win the title. And this is my target. Help the team, help my teammates, to score goals every match and to win every competition that we have to play.
Reporter 3: Hi Robson, welcome to Kolkata. My first question is why you chose Mohun Bagan and before coming to Kolkata did you have a chat with your old coach, Óscar Bruzón ?
Robson: I did not choose Mohun Bagan, Mohun Bagan chose me. I am in a big club here in India and I am very happy to be a part of the group in this big club. And my focus is now totally here in Mohun Bagan Super Giant. I need to work and help the team in ACLTwo, in the Indian Super League and the Super Cup as well.
Reporter 4: You have already played in AFC tournaments under Bashundhara Kings. So right now, Mohun Bagan’s primary goal is to perform well in ACL Two, so how much are you prepared on that? How much experience do you have to share with your coach and teammates regarding this tournament?
Robson: I played in AFC with Basundhara Kings. As we are in the Asian Champions League Two….we have to do a great job in ACLTwo, for which we have the players. I have also come to help the team. For playing in AFC, we have the players, a great coach who also knows about the competition and we have the time to prepare for this. The more time we have to prepare for it, I think it comes easier to us to help the team perform well in this competition.
Reporter 5: There are a lot of players in Mohun Bagan in the frontline and midfield who are foreigners. Do you think it will be competitive to find yourself in the playing XI? How do you think you can prepare yourself to find yourself there in a regular basis?
Robson: Good Question. I will do my best. I will practice, I will train. And other foreigners will also do this. We will try to give time and get chance to (play for) the team. And this problem is for the coach.The coach chooses. The coach will choose who will play. But the most important thing is for Mohun Bagan to win the games. Will he choose me or not...this depends on the training and the choice of the coach.
Reporter 6: Robson we know that you are not a proper striker. You play in the left wing. There are a lot of players in the Mohun Bagan squad who play as left wing forward like Liston, Sahal Abdul Samad. Will you be able to play in your main position in Mohun Bagan?
Robson: This depends on the coach. Winger or midfielder, I have no problem. This depends on the matches and the formation that the coach likes for the games. For me, no problem.
Reporter 7: You must have heard about Jason Cummings, Subhasish Bose and other players. How are you going to adjust with them? What about your planning methods with Cummings, Petratos and other players?
Robson: I have to practice this (with the team). I was practicing in Brazil alone. I had 14-15 days of practice. I hope I will be totally fit to help the team. Rest it depends on the coach. If I practice everyday, if I feel better, if I have time to play with practice… I will improve quickly and give my 100% for the matches in ACLTwo.
Reporter 8: Before signing for this club, did you have any chat with anymore regarding Mohun Bagan, about its history and fan followings? Did you hear the name of Jose Ramirez Barreto?
Robson: I keep following all this. I saw many fans spoke about him. I can see that the fans (very very) like him. Now I need to do my job here and I try to make them (the fans) feel proud.
I played before against Mohun Bagan. At that time, I didn’t follow the club. But I know more about the club in the past few years. And I know Mohun Bagan is a team here in India. And it is my time to help the team and keep winning matches.
Reporter 9: You have played a lot with Neymar, the world-class footballer after Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. You used to name him. What is your experience playing with him and what have you learnt from him?
Robson: Neymar is a very good player. He is a different player. He is the best one in the national team. And playing against him, this experience for me is too much. Also inside the pitch, I talked with him. He is a good person. We know his life is very difficult. Every time he has something to do out of football. But inside the pitch, he is very good. He is a different player. He is at the best level. I am a big fan of Neymar. And playing against him, for me, it is a dream. I never imagined I would play against Neymar. In Brazil, I had this opportunity before three, four months ago. And now I need to do my job here…to help the team here…for me, and (create) my history with this club.
Reporter 10: Robson, you have played in Bangladesh for four seasons. Have you learnt any Bengali Words?
Robson: Yes, I know a little bit. But it is difficult. Some words from Bangladesh are here and there.
But I think everybody can understand.
Reporter: You understand Bengali, right?
Robson: A little bit. “Chalo, Chalo.”,“Aste Aste”, “Bhalo Ashen?”
Reporter 11: In Calcutta, Mohun Bagan's main opponent is East Bengal. You heard anything about East Bengal?
Robson: Yes, when I was in Brazil before, I watched every match of Durand Cup. And I saw my ex-coach there (in Emami East Bengal FC). But after my transfer, my goal is to help Mohun Bagan, play my best and I hope we can have a great season with my teammates, and with these big guys.
Reporter 12: You have just uttered a few Bengali words. As you also know, the food culture is also very much the same in Bangladesh and India. So it has already been a day in Kolkata. Have you tried any dishes in Kolkata? Or are you looking forward to try any Bengali dishes here?
Robson: For me, it is difficult because I don't like too much spice. But some sweets I have tried before. The sweets are good. But for me, eating food with spice is very difficult. I have tried biryani without spice. With spice, it is very difficult.
Reporter 13: You are from Brazil. In world football, there is a debate between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Who is the best? Who do you follow?
Robson: For me, they both play very well. But for me, there are different characteristics. Messi is number 10. Cristiano Ronaldo is more like a number 9. I like to follow Cristiano Ronaldo.
Reporter 14: As you have explained, you played against Neymar. But what do you think is the one thing about Neymar? Even though Neymar is here, Brazil couldn't actually bring much (recently) in world football. Now in World Cup, you know that now Argentina is dominating, sometimes France is dominating, Italy, sometimes Germany. But why not Brazil? It's been such a long time. What is the reason?
Robson: This question is difficult because Brazil has many, many good players.I don't know why it is not good enough for the final round of the World Cup. I think for national team, it is difficult because they have no time to practice. And I think in the next World Cup, we will have a chance. If the players stay together in happy mood, it will be good for the national team. Let's see in the next World Cup, I think we can be Champions.
Reporter 15: Neymar said that he has no injury. So, are you surprised to not see him in the national squad for the last two matches in the World Cup qualifiers?
Robson: This is an opinion of the coach. The coach didn't feel Neymar is in the best mood and in the best physical part to play these two games. And I think in the future, Neymar will have chance to play again in the national team.
Reporter 16: Where did you play your last competitive match?
Robson: I played my last official game in March. After that, I was practicing in Brazil in the gym and alone in the ground. My physical condition is good; I don't take too many medicines. Now I will have time to practice with the group. But in this club, I want to play better, I want to play with more energy.
Reporter 17: You were talking about the Brazilian football, a few questions back. So, what's your expression regarding Carlos Ancelotti, the first Brazilian coach, who is not Brazilian? What do you think regarding Ancelotti's group of coaching? Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and other players will show the skills needed in football in the coming World Cup?
Robson: I think the coach who out of Brazil is good for the national team. Because they know the football, the modern football in the world. And he (Ancelotti) knows what Brazil wants for the World Cup. I think the group is more important than one or two players.If the group stays together, it's easier to win the title.
Reporter 18: You have been very consistent in Bangladesh, scoring almost 67 goals for Bashundhara Kings and you have also been a part of many assists. You have almost assisted 47 goals. So, is it that you love scoring goals or rather you love to assist your teammates?
Robson: For me, it depends on the position I play. If I play more in front, of course I like to score more. If I play a little bit behind, I like to assist. But for me, no problem. The most important thing is for the club to win.
Reporter 19: As you have heard about Barreto who has been a legend of this club as another Brazilian, how are you enjoying this challenge of making a name for yourself?
Robson: First of all, the fans supported me a lot before I came here. On social media, there were many messages for me. This is very fortunate for a player. And I came here very happy and motivated to do my best to help the club, to help my teammates. And this, you know, for the players is very important. When the players are happy inside the pitch, we can do everything. And I am very happy and very motivated to do good practice, play good games and to help the team to win titles. Every title we will win.
Reporter 20: You have played in VYBK before...the Salt Lake stadium when you were in Bashundhara Kings. Now you are going to play at that ground in regular basis because this is your home ground. So, it has a huge supporter capacity. You are from a football-based country. How do you enjoy that kind of a situation with the packed gallery?
Robson: In Brazil, when we have many fans in the stadium, we say the fans are our 12th player. It has helped us a lot inside the pitch. I think when the clubs come to Salt Lake to play against Mohun Bagan, it is more difficult for them. Because the fans help our players a lot. And when the team stays together with the fans, I think it's easier for the players to take responsibility inside the pitch and enjoy the game, and win the games. Thank you.
