The worst league stage of Robinho Lazaró's time in charge of Colombian wonderkid factory Envigado FC was fairly inevitable after losing several key players and replacing them with raw youngsters. But Lazaró was optimistic after a prolonged rest between the Apertura and Finalización stages of the 2028 campaign.
A summer break was much needed as Robinho Lazaró's Envigado FC endured a heavy conclusion to the 2027 campaign, such is the ridiculous rigour of fixture overload in Colombian football. But that failed to take the gloss off winning the club's first-ever Colombian Cup.
The summer of 2027 saw significant change at Envigado FC as club icon James Rodríguez retired from football on a high aged 35. He was joined in leaving by stalwart midfielder William Hurtado, which saw manager Robinho Lazaró turn to his exciting young academy prospects.
The streets of Envigado were packed with orange shirts as Robinho Lazaró and his exciting young Envigado FC team celebrated the club's first-ever Apertura trophy with their growing supporter base.
Robinho Lazaró's focus on youth development at Colombian wonderkid factory Envigado FC was undeniably yielding results. After four years in charge, he'd led the club to its first Colombian title with a Finalización win, three Apertura runner-up finishes, a Súperliga success and three straight Copa Libertadores campaigns.
The brutal nature of the Colombian football season had seen Envigado FC play 38 matches at the halfway mark of the 2025 campaign. Robinho Lazaró's young squad was exhausted, so he gave them a week off training between the Apertura and Finalización stages.
Robinho Lazaró and his young Colombian superstars paraded the Liga BetPlay Finalización trophy through the streets of Envigado as they celebrated the club's first-ever piece of silverware with their adoring fans.
The depth of talent at Envigado FC could not be argued against. Robinho Lazaró's young charges qualified for Copa Libertadores for the first time in club history by winning the Liga BetPlay Finalización league stage in 2023 - but, crucially, not the playoff stage that sees the trophies handed out.
Seventy years ago, 38-year-old fledgling Roberto Nascimento da Silva Lazaró departed his hometown Medellín to begin his quest to become a Football Manager. Most the kids he grew up with on the streets scoffed and mocked, but Robinho Lazaró very much had the last laugh.
José Mourinho may consider himself "the special one" but there was no doubting that Roberto Nascimento da Silva Lazaró was "the great one."
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