SPORTS NEWS.

Robinho earned his first cap for Brazil in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup match on July 13, which Brazil lost 1–0 to Mexico. Although Brazil chose to send their under-23 team, the CONCACAF Gold Cup matches are considered as full international matches by FIFA. He was part of Brazil squad for 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, which Brazil went on to win.

He played in four of Brazil's five matches as a reserve, but finished the tournament goalless. However, Robinho was in top form in the Copa América 2007 a year later. For the tournament, he wore the number 11 jersey, the same number that his childhood hero Romário wore. Robinho scored all four of Brazil's group stage goals via a hat-trick in Brazil's 3–0 group stage match against Chile, and a penalty in a 1–0 win over Ecuador. His last two goals came in a 6–1 quarter-final thrashing of Chile. Robinho reaped the individual honors, finishing as the Golden Boot winner in addition to being named the best player of the tournament. Robinho has one cap as captain and that was a friendly against Algeria on 22 August 2007, due to the absence of regular captains, Lúcio and Gilberto Silva, while Kaká and Ronaldinho were on the bench.

On 28 June 2009, he was a member of the Brazil team that won the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa. He played in every game in the competition, including the final against the United States, which Brazil came back from two goals deficit to eventually win the game 3–2.