Last update 6 April, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
It is one of the players most talked this summer: Key in the Confederations Cup with Brazil and protagonist of a millionaire signing for a big Premier, he snatched other European powers. But few people know that underage had to leave his native Sao Paolo, to play at a lower level leagues, in such cold countries like Lithuania and Poland. In Colgados for football I discovered the first European adventure Paulinho.
José Paulo Bezerra Maciel Júnior best known in the football world by the nickname Paulinho, He started his career at Audax Sao Paolo and not stressed in his youth in his native country, until it was discovered by Algimantas Breikstas president of FC Vilnius in the famous sub-19 Copinha Sao Paolo. It was surprising that a club in a league low level LFF Lyga bet by a Brazilian girl who had not appeared in any lower selection of canarinha, but in the year 2006 Paulinho packed his bags to play in the Lithuanian capital in a club that was not pointing in the Baltic country.
He could not debut until mid-season 2006 because the Lithuanian Federation play did not let foreigners who were minors. He ended up playing the last games of that season and the season began 2007 (Lithuania seasons played in calendar years) as a full member of FC Vilnius. He became a fixture in the double pivot the Lithuanian club but could not avoid relegation from the capital club to the second division Lithuanian. His good performances in the FC Vilnius came to a nearby country with a more powerful league, Poland, the LKS Lodz became interested in his services and the young Paulinho returned to pack to compete Polish Ekstraklasa.
It coincided with a coach not given to align foreigners in their lineups, It cost enough to break into the starting lineup and the most surprising thing is that he got playing left-back, a place where he could not speak fluently. He ended the season helping his club to achieve salvation as a curiosity coincided with the other team from the city of Lodz, Widzew big city club.
This experience was disastrous for Paulinho Poland that just 20 years was raised to stop playing football professionally. His wife ended up convincing him that a bad year could not throw away his dream since childhood and decided to return to Brazil to their club training. A good season in the Audax Sao Paolo, He caught the attention of Serie B club as Bragantino. There Paulinho began his meteoric rise to stardom, another good year and a handover to one of the greats of the Brasileirao, el Corinthians. From there the story you already know: Mundialito of Clubs, Libertadores Cup, Brasileirao 2011, Recopa Sudamericana and Paulista Championship, all of them as a starter in Tite alignments and summer 2013 that he became one of the best box to box in world football.
