Europe awaits the new Pele

New Peles are like buses, you wait ages for one and then two come along at once. First, Robinho leads Santos to their most successful spell since the original Pele 30 years earlier, then Ronaldinho comes to Barcelona and turns the Catalans into the best team in Europe.

That Ronaldinho is a serious candidate to assume Pele's mantle is not in doubt. But comparing Robinho, a skinny teenager untested at the highest levels, with the man who won three World Cups would be laughable were it not for one rather pertinent fact: the first person to call Robinho the new Pele was the old Pele.

When he saw the 15-year-old train with his former club in 1999, Pele immediately pulled him aside and told him he was destined for greatness. The dazzling ball control, the scrawny frame, and the euphoric grin reminded him of one thing, Pele told him. Himself.

The question now for Robinho is whether he can prove himself worthy of the hype. One man who believes he can is Tostao. As an industrious striker in Brazil's legendary 1970 World Cup-winning team Tostao played alongside Pele and is now a commentator and newspaper columnist. He has no doubt Robinho has what it takes.

"Robinho is an exceptional player, the best player in Brazil right now," Tostao said. "No one doubts his talent. But he is playing in Brazil, where the standard is not as high as in Europe. The question is, can he go to Europe and still turn it on? I think he can. He has so much potential."

Tostao said the key to Robinho's continued development could lie with Wanderlei Luxemburgo, the new Real Madrid manager who led Santos to the Brazilian league in December.

When Robinho first burst on to the scene, his trademark moves, the pedalada (running his feet round and round the moving ball as if pedalling a bike) and the even more impressive elastica (ball seemingly glued to his foot), bamboozled rivals and created holes in opposing defences. However, defenders learnt to shackle him the following season and he failed to produce his magic with the same regularity.

When Luxemburgo took over last May, he added a new dimension to Robinho's play. The wily former Brazil manager taught his young charge how to do more than entertain and, before long, Robinho was covering, defending and scoring enough goals to make him the third-top marksman in the Brazilian first division. He is now in scintillating form and was one of the outstanding performers in Brazil's 7-1 victory over Hong Kong last week.

Now that Luxemburgo has gone to Real Madrid, speculation is mounting that Robinho will join him. Although Tostao said the young player has a clause in his contract releasing him only for offers above $50 million (£26.5 million), Santos would probably be prepared to do a deal for less than half of that, although a bid of £12 million from Chelsea has already been rejected.

Right now, the odds are on Robinho making a move this summer. Santos have stated they will hold on to the 20-year-old as long as they remain in the Copa Libertadores, a tournament they have not won since 1963 and one they are desperate to regain. That delay would suit Real, too, by giving them time to shuffle their deck and create space for another player without a European Union passport.

Tostao believes Robinho would be wise to wait a few more months before crossing the Atlantic but he is adamant Madrid should be his destination. "Going to Real would be the best move he could make," Tostao said. "He could work with a manager who knows him and who he gets along with. He should only leave Brazil to go a big team like Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, etc. If he goes to one of those teams and has a manager who knows how to use him he'll become one of the best players in the world."

Not as good as Pele, of course. As Tostao said with a hint of irritation, the reports of new Peles are exaggerated. There will never be another Pele. But seeing Robinho at his best might make you think there will.