Paulinho

Jose Paulo Bezerra Maciel Junior (born 25 July 1988), known as Paulinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista. He is also a former Brazil international, making 56 caps between 2011 and 2018.

Club Career

Early career

Paulinho began his playing career with Pao de Acucar, joining the youth squad in 2004. After failing to break through into the first team, Paulinho joined Lithuanian side FC Vilnius in 2006. He played well for the club during his two seasons in Lithuania, scoring five goals from 38 domestic appearances, but at the end of the 2007 LFF Lyga campaign, FC Vilnius were relegated to the second division and Paulinho left the club where he moved to Poland, signing for Ekstraklasa side LKS Lodz. Following one season in Poland where Paulinho made 17 league appearances, he returned to Brazil and his first club Pao de Acucar in the summer of 2008. After a single successful season, Paulinho was on the move again, joining Serie B side Bragantino in 2009.

Corinthians

In 2009, playing for Bragantino, he drew the attention of Sao Paulo giants Corinthians, and was signed by the club. His first league goal for the club came on 30 May 2010, coming off the bench to score Corinthians's fourth goal, sealing a 4–2 win over state rivals Santos. He would eventually go on to win important competitions with the Sao Paulo side, such as the 2011 Brasileirao and the 2012 Copa Libertadores, cementing himself as a hero for his club. Along the way to the Copa Libertadores final, Paulinho netted the only goal of the two-legged quarter-final tie against fellow Brazilian side Vasco da Gama, scoring in the 87th minute of the second leg on 23 May 2012 to send Corinthians into the semi-finals.

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