By promoting high technique, speed and one-on-one ability, the Portuguese winger can talk a lot. In the latest squad called by Fernando Santos to compete in the 2020 UEFA Nations League, this attribute is owned by famous names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, to Diogo Jota.
However, Portugal’s echo for the center-forward position was not as big as the wingers. In the past decade or so, only three Portugal center-forwards have been remembered constantly: Pedro Pauleta, Nuno Gomes and Helder Postiga.
Of the three, the name Pedro Pauleta may be the best. With 88 caps with Portugal, he was the Selecao’s top scorer (57 goals), before being broken by Cristiano Ronaldo (102 goals). Nuno Gomes “only” scored 29 goals, while Helder Postiga two goals less than Gomes.
The lack of a center-forward possessed by Portugal has often led to several coaches who once coached the team with the nickname “Brazil of Europe”, placing winger like Nani and Ronaldo as center attackers.
However, there was something slightly different from Portugal’s performance in the match match against Andorra, last Thursday (12/11). With a 4-3-3 formation carried by Fernando Santos, one name in the attacking position is filled with 28-year-old debutant Paulinho.
At first glance, Paulinho’s way of playing is reminiscent of Pedro Pauleta’s figure. His ability to read the game, finish the finish, and shrewd defender’s concentration, which is the hallmark of a classic center-forward, appeared in the SC Braga player.
His contribution to the convincing win over Andorra (7-0) was immense. He successfully contributed two goals in a good way. In the first goal, his instinct to find space to overtake the defender was very visible. Nelson Semedo horizontal bait was not wasted. He was also listed as a debutant who scored with the Selecao.
As if it wasn’t enough to score one goal, Paulinho returned to vibrate Andorra’s net which was guarded by Josep Gomes in the 61st minute. This time, his horn was unstoppable. Before the goal, he again showed the perfect reading of the game.
“This is the perfect night! Perfect for me scoring goals and for teams that are winning. We scored a lot of goals, so, yeah, it’s perfect. I believed it was the ideal opportunity and I responded by playing well. I feel very good, “Paulinho was quoted as saying on the official website of the Portuguese Football Federation.
Still Happy in Portugal
Paulinho’s full name is Joao Paulo Dias Fernandes. He was born in Barcelos, Portugal, on November 9, 1992. His debut with Portugal was the beginning of his new adventure at the age of 28.
Paulinho’s career journey from the bottom began when he joined an amateur club, Santa Maria FC. In July 2012, he moved to the second division club in the Portuguese League, Trofense and made his debut as a professional player when he met Desportivo Aves in the Taca da Liga event.
In that inaugural season, Paulinho appeared in 38 Trofense matches in two competitions, the Portuguese League 2 (second division) and the Allianz Cup (Portuguese League Cup). For the size of the debutant, the achievement of the 11 goals that he scored was good enough to make the Liga NOS (Portugal’s top division) team, Gil Vicente recruited him a year later.
In terms of appearance, he is routinely demoted. However, he was inconsistent when measuring the number of goals. In his first two seasons, Paulinho played 45 times with only four goals. In fact, he was unable to prevent his club from entering the Portuguese League 2 in 2014/15.
However, his performance was quite promising so that the club still maintained it. He played 47 games that season. Although he has not been able to bring Gil Vicente to the highest level, 2016/17 is his best season with the club nicknamed Gilistas. The reason is, Paulinho played in 36 matches with a record of 19 goals and three assists.
Through hard work, Paulinho returned to the NOS League to join SC Braga in 2017/18. He showed proof of his quality with a score of 17 goals in 43 matches. A year later, the 1.88 meter tall player won the individual title by becoming the top scorer of the Portuguese League Cup despite failing to bring Braga to the title.
After winning the individual title, in 2019/20, Paulinho finally succeeded in bringing SC Braga to the Portuguese League Cup after defeating Porto in the top party with a score of 1-0. This time, he may not be the top scorer in the event, but it completes the title he has collected from the individual and club sides.
“SC Braga is the first club to make me feel like a [football] player. The conditions here are extraordinary, every year the club develops both at the national and international levels, “he said.
“I’ve always been treated well here by everyone, from the staff, teammates, and supporters who represent the club. I feel at home and I am lucky for that, “he added.
Paulinho’s togetherness with SC Braga will still last a long time because he has just signed a new contract until 2025. At club level, Paulinho is a key player on the front lines. This indicates that the player is still at home in Portugal, instead of moving to Europe’s top leagues.
And now, with a good debut with the Portuguese national team, plus the coach’s need for other options in attack, Paulinho will likely rely on Portugal in the future. In the future, in the matches against France and Croatia in the UEFA Nations League, Paulinho is likely to return to filling one place on the front lines.
ASL
