Robson Ponte

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Robson Ponte

| image =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1976|11|6}}

| birth_place = São Paulo, Brazil

| height = 1.74 m

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Attacking midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1995–1996

| clubs1 = CA Juventus

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1997

| clubs2 = América-SP

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 1998–1999

| clubs3 = Guarani

| caps3 = 32

| goals3 = 16

| years4 = 1999–2005

| clubs4 = Bayer Leverkusen

| caps4 = 79

| goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2001–2003

| clubs5 = → VfL Wolfsburg (loan)

| caps5 = 61

| goals5 = 13

| years6 = 2005–2010

| clubs6 = Urawa Reds

| caps6 = 144

| goals6 = 33

| years7 = 2011

| clubs7 = Grêmio Barueri

| caps7 = 6

| goals7 = 0

}}

Robson Ponte (born 6 November 1976) is a Brazilian former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his career at Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Germany and Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan.

Club career

Ponte was born in São Paulo.

After impressing in a friendly match between his club Guarani and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in early 1999, he was offered a contract by Bundesliga club in August 1999.{{Cite news |last=Alves |first=Marcus |date=7 September 2018 |title=Cartola em Portugal, Robson Ponte brilhou no Guarani e quase jogou no Real |language=pt-br |work=UOL Esporte |url=https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2018/09/07/cartola-em-portugal-robson-ponte-brilhou-no-guarani-e-quase-jogou-no-real.htm |access-date=2022-01-05}} He played for three seasons at Leverkusen. In the month of his transfer, German techno label Kompakt released a single entitled 'Robson Ponte'.{{cite web | url = http://www.discogs.com/Reinhard-Voigt-Robson-Ponte/release/26315 | title = Reinhard Voigt – Robson Ponte | date = 30 August 1999 | publisher = discogs.com | accessdate = 5 May 2013 }}

Before the 2001–02 season started, Ponte moved on loan to another Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg. At Wolfsburg, he managed 61 appearances in two seasons and scored 13 goals.

Ponte signed on free transfer with Japanese giants Urawa Red Diamonds before his contract with Leverkusen expired in July 2005.{{Cite news |date=2005-07-15 |title=Ponte turning Japanese |language=en |work=Eurosport |url=https://www.eurosport.com/football/bundesliga-1/2005-2006/ponte-turning-japanese_sto742394/story.shtml |agency=Reuters|access-date=2022-01-05}} He, an all-around midfielder, took both penalty kicks and corners for Urawa for five seasons. In 2007, he received the Most Valuable Player award of the season.

Ponte ended his playing career with foreign professional leagues in 2010 and returned his country Brazil to spend his last years. He joined Grêmio Barueri on 26 May 2011.{{Cite news |date=19 November 2010 |title=Contract with Robson Ponte |work=Urawa Red Diamonds |url=https://www.urawa-reds.co.jp/reds-en/news/contract-with-robson-ponte/ |access-date=2022-01-05}}{{Cite news |date=14 July 2011 |title=Grêmio Barueri confirma Marcos Pimentel, Robson Ponte e mais dois reforços |work=UOL Esporte |url=https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/campeonatos/brasileiro/serie-b/ultimas-noticias/2011/07/14/gremio-barueri-confirma-marcos-pimentel-robson-ponte-e-mais-dois-reforcos.htm|lang=pt-br |access-date=2022-01-05}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="3"\|CA Juventus \|1995 \|rowspan="2"\|Paulista \|24	14	\|				colspan="2"
\|
1996 \|26	12					colspan="2"
\|
colspan="2"\|Total ! \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\|
América FC \|1997 \|Paulista \| 4	1					colspan="2"
\|
rowspan="3"\|Guarani \|1998 \|rowspan="2"\|Série A \|16	7					colspan="2"
\|
1999 \|16	9					colspan="2"
\|
colspan="2"\|Total ! \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\|
rowspan="5"\|Bayer Leverkusen \|1999–00 \|rowspan="4"\|Bundesliga \|24	2	8	2	1	0	5	0	38	4
2000–01 \|12	0			1	0	3	1	16	1
2003–04 \|20	2	2	2	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|22	4
2004–05 \|23	2	2	1	1	0	8	1	34	4
colspan="2"\|Total !79\|\|6\|\|12\|\|5\|\|3\|\|0\|\|16\|\|2\|\|110\|\|13
rowspan="3"\|VfL Wolfsburg (loan) \|2001–02 \|rowspan="2"\|Bundesliga \|31	8	3	1	colspan="2"
\|
2002–03 \|30	5	2	0	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|32	5
colspan="2"\|Total !61\|\|13\|\|5\|\|1\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|66\|\|14
rowspan="7"\|Urawa Reds \|2005 \|rowspan="6"\|J1 League \|16	8	5	0	3	1	colspan="2"
\|24	9
2006 \|22	4	4	2	3	0	colspan="2"
\|29	6
2007 \|33	7	0	0	2	0	12	5	47	12
2008 \|16	1	2	1	2	0	4	0	24	2
2009 \|28	4	1	0	4	1	colspan="2"
\|33	5
2010 \|29	9	2	2	6	2	colspan="2"
\|35	11
colspan="2"\|Total !144\|\|33\|\|14\|\|6\|\|20\|\|4\|\|16\|\|5\|\|194\|\|47
colspan="3"\|Career total ! \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\| \|\|

Awards and honours

=Club=

Urawa Red Diamonds

AFC Champions League: 2007{{Cite news |title=Japan's Reds book World Club place |work=CNN |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SPORT/football/11/14/team.urawareds/ |access-date=2022-01-05}}
J1 League: 2006
Emperor's Cup: 2005, 2006
Japanese Super Cup: 2006