Robinho shines at rejuvenated Copa

(CNN) -- The Copa America -- the world's oldest international football tournament -- has been devalued in recent years by the prior importance placed in South America on World Cup qualifying (effectively a continental league) and by the ever-greater demands of the European football calendar.

But this year's competition -- falling ahead of qualifying for 2010 and following a World Cup in which no South American side reached the semifinals for the first time since 1982 -- has seen something of a reawakening of interest in the continental title.

Most countries have sent full-strength squads to Venezuela, notably Argentina which has drawn on a stellar list of talents including Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Hernan Crespo and Juan Roman Riquelme in their run to the final.

The exception, however, has been Brazil, which has been forced to manage without its two biggest stars, Ronaldinho and Kaka, who both asked not to be selected due to exhaustion.

But their absence has allowed another of the Selecao's young talents -- Robinho -- to step into the spotlight for the defending champions during a sometimes fraught campaign that will culminate in repeat of the 2004 final.

With six goals in five games, including an opportunist hat-trick against Chile to keep Brazil in the tournament following an opening loss against Mexico and two more in a 6-1 quarterfinal rout of the same opposition, the 23-year-old has been the tournament's most prolific player.

With two seasons and one Spanish title under his belt already at Real Madrid, Robinho is hardly a new name. But life at the Bernabeu has been tough for a player tipped, inevitably, to become the "new Pele" since he exploded into Brazilian football with Santos as a teenager.

For much of that time he has been a bit-part player, confined to the bench behind Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul and scoring just 18 times in 88 appearances.

Now the arrival of new coach Bernd Schuster has thrown Robinho's future into doubt, with Arjen Robben and Kaka linked with moves to Madrid and the Spanish press reporting that Real were prepared to offer him in exchange for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

There remain doubts as well over Robinho's big game temperament. A quiet match in the fractious 2-2 Copa America semifinal with Uruguay -- which Brazil won on penalties -- suggested the slight forward is still too easily bullied by tough opposition.

Robinho himself remains confident in his ability, telling Spanish newspaper El Pais: "I have not prevailed in Europe as I have in my country. But when I have a spectacular year the praise will come. Little by little, I will win them over."

Sunday's final, which will see Brazil starting in the unusual position of underdogs, gives Robinho another chance to showcase his skills -- and perhaps prove to Schuster that he can still do a job for Real Madrid. E-mail to a friend