Robinho recalled to Brazil squad

New Brazil national team coach Dunga has called up Santos forward Robinho for upcoming friendlies against Colombia and Ecuador.

The 30-year-old will replace Hulk in the 22-man squad after the Zenit St Petersburg man injured his left thigh in his side’s 1-0 over Lokomotiv Moscow on Sunday.

Robinho, who has 92 caps to his name, has not played international football since scoring against Chile last November and was left out of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s World Cup squad earlier this year.

The recall vindicates Robinho’s decision to return to his homeland on loan from Milan earlier this month in search of playing time, after new coach Filippo Inzaghi revealed the diminutive attacker was not in his plans.

Real Madrid left-back Marcelo has also been brought back into the fold after he was originally left out of the squad, with an injury to Porto’s Alex Sandro leading Dunga to draft him in.

Brazil will now head into the game against Colombia in Miami next week with just 10 players who featured at this year’s World Cup, with Dunga hoping to begin his second spell in charge of the national team on a positive note.