Background and career
José Paulo Bezerra Maciel Júnior (born 25 July 1988), known as Paulinho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was known for his physicality, stamina, late attacking runs into the penalty area and ability to contribute both defensively and offensively.
Paulinho began his career in Brazil and had early spells in Lithuania and Poland before establishing himself at Corinthians, where he won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club World Cup. He later played for Tottenham Hotspur, Guangzhou Evergrande, Barcelona and Al-Ahli, before returning to Corinthians and retiring in 2024. During his time at Barcelona, he won La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
At international level, Paulinho represented the Brazil national team from 2011 to 2018. He was part of the squad that won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and represented Brazil at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
