With five goals in 43 games, why is Scolari calling up Robinho?

Luiz Felipe Scolari wasn’t exactly the obvious choice to take the Brazil national team job earlier this year, nor was he much of a fashionable selection in many people’s eyes. Compare his appointment, though, with his decision to bring struggling AC Milan forward Robinho back into the Selecao ranks and it suddenly seems like the most forward-thinking masterstroke in football history.

Robinho has scored just four Serie A goals in the last 18 months. Beyond a penalty against Juventus last November, the only other teams he has netted against in that time are Torino, Bologna and Cagliari. Throw in the goal he scored recently against Barcelona in the Champions League and that makes five in all competitions - in 43 games.