Robinho Júnior’s first Serie A appearance came in defeat, but the 18-year-old Brazilian has begun a chapter that Genoa hope will develop beyond the weight of a familiar surname. Introduced in the 83rd minute of Saturday’s 2-0 loss away to Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, he replaced Junior Messias and made his senior league debut for Daniele De Rossi’s side.
Wearing number 21, Robson de Souza Júnior had a little over ten minutes to affect a match already moving away from Genoa. Roma’s goals came from Santiago Castro and Emanuele Lulli, leaving the visitors without a late response, yet the afternoon still marked an important personal milestone for a player whose progress since arriving in Italy has been rapid.
Genoa brought him in from Santos during the summer on a loan agreement that includes an €8 million purchase option. The initial plan was for the forward to join the club’s youth ranks, but his work with the Primavera side soon earned him opportunities alongside the first-team group.
Under Domenico Criscito in the Primavera, the Brazilian scored twice against Atalanta in September before finding the net again against Juventus on 11 October. He also played a decisive role in the 3-1 win over the Turin club. His pace, willingness to take on defenders and left-footed ability have made him one of the young players attracting attention in Genoa’s development pathway.
A new route from Santos to Serie A
Born in Santos on 17 December 2007, Robinho Júnior started his professional journey at the same Brazilian club where his father first emerged. He made his Santos first-team debut against Flamengo in July 2025 before moving to Genoa, where Saturday’s substitute appearance offered his first taste of Italy’s top division.
His father, Robinho, played for Real Madrid, Manchester City and Milan, winning two Spanish league titles with Madrid and the Serie A title with Milan. He is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in Brazil for a gang rape committed in Italy.
For the younger Robinho, however, the task at Genoa is to establish a career on his own terms. The Roma defeat gave him no time to change the result, but it placed him on the Serie A stage for the first time and added another young name to De Rossi’s season-long rebuilding work in Liguria.
