"This is the biggest step of my career," says the striker

Sporting Clube de Portugal have bolstered their attack with the signing of 28-year-old forward Paulinho, who joins from SC Braga on a deal through to 2025, with a buyout clause of 60 million euros.

Paulinho was presented this Tuesday alongside club president Frederico Varandas, and expressed his delight with the move.

"My feeling is one of pure happiness. I'm very happy to be here. I thank everyone for the effort they made to bring me here; it was not an easy process, but I finally managed to get where I wanted to be", said the Portuguese international.

"It has been a dream of mine for a long time, but it is football. It has happened when it happened, and from now on we will all fight for the same thing. Sporting CP is what matters."

Asked how much the move means for his career, Paulinho stated that he is now a "part of a big club in Portugal - an incredible club". "It is, by far, the biggest step of my career", he added. "I don't believe that I will have any major problems in adapting. All indications are that the group is fantastic; incredible players and human beings. The fact that I know how the coach works will help me a lot. The league isn't a surprise to me anymore. I know the teams perfectly and everything is prepared to make my integration an easy one", he reasoned.

"It will be good to work with Rubén Amorim again", says the striker, who played under him previously at SC Braga. "It was my desire to work with him, but I also know how demanding he is. That's what brought me here. I know he expects nothing less than 100% from me, and from everyone. That's what I'm going to give in every game", he promised.

Paulinho came up through the ranks at Santa Maria FC, a club where he also took his first steps at senior level, before spells at CD Trofense and Gil Vicente FC. He signed for SC Braga in 2017, and since then has established himself as one of the top goalscorers in Portuguese football. In 2019/2020 he found the net 25 times, 17 in Liga NOS, whilst this season he has already scored ten goals in all competitions.

First-leg of FIFA Futsal World Cup play-off against Serbia

The Portuguese national futsal coach, Jorge Braz, has called a total of five Sporting players into his squad of 14 for the coming FIFA Futsal world Cup play-off against Serbia.

Paulinho, João Matos, Djô, Pedro Cary and Fábio Lima are the five who will take on their Serbian counterparts on the 22nd of March in Belgrade, before the return Lisbon on the 12th of April.

Squad in full:

Sporting CP: João Matos, Djô, Paulinho, Fábio Lima and Pedro Cary

Sp. Braga: Vítor Hugo and Tiago Brito

Fundão: Anílton

Benfica: Bebé, Fábio Cecílio and Bruno Coelho

Inter FS: Ricardinho and Cardinal

Axed Group Latina: Arnaldo

All-Iberian quarter-final in UEFA Futsal Euro 2016

The national futsal team conceded their first loss of UEFA Futsal Euro 2016 this weekend, missing out 3-1 to Serbia in the last match of group A. The Portuguese will now take on Spain in the quarter-finals.

Alvalade stars Pedro Cary and João Matos started the encounter, while Paulinho, Djô and Fábio Lima also features. Serbia took an 8th minute lead through Kocic, before Ricardinho restored the deadlock five minutes before the break.

Second-half strikes from Rajcevic (37’) and Simic (40’) sealed the win for Serbia, despite Portugal having more than double the number of efforts on goal (49-22).

6-2 win secures place in quarter-finals

The national futsal team continued their solid start to the UEFA Futsal Euros this week, beating Slovenia 6-2 on matchday 2 of group A. The final result, set in the last minute, gives the Portuguese first place and the respective bearth in the next round.

Com Pedro Cary and João Matos featured in Jorge Braz's starting line-up, while Djô, Fábio Lima and Paulinho were introduced to the action over the course of the encounter. Despite the final result, the Portuguese actually fell behind after three minutes after a goal from Cujec in the third minute, before Fábio Cecílio (5’) and Ricardinho (16’) turned the scoreboard around. Just as it looked like Portugal would go in with a lead at the break, Vrhovec equalised after a well calculated move.

Portugal's superiority was obvious in the second half and it wasn't long before the scoreboard red 5-2, with a double from Ricardinho (24’ and 33’) and a strike from Sporting's Pedro Cary (31'). Curiously, at a time when four Sporting players were out on the court (João Matos, Pedro Cary, Fábio Lima and Paulinho). With a minute left on the clock, Fábio Cecílio closed out the final result with an easy finish.

Paulinho and Pedro Cary on target in 7-0 win

The national futsal team beat Qatar by a convincing 7-0 this week, in a friendly match ahead of the European Championships in Serbia.

In Rio Maior's Polsport Arena, Alvalade stars João Matos and Pedro Cary both featured in the starting line-up, while Djô, Paulinho and Fábio Lima were all introduced off the bench. After an own goal from Lucas (2’), Paulinho struck the second in the 7th minute and Cardinal the third three minutes later.

In the second-half, Cardinal bagged another three (22’, 24’ and 26’), before Pedro Cary rounded off the scoring three minutes from time.

Sporting CP dominates Portuguese squad list

The national futsal coach Jorge Braz released his final squad list of 14 for the European Championship final phase, being held in Belgrade from the 2nd to the 13th of February.

Djô, Fábio Lima, João Matos, Paulinho and Pedro Cary all feature, making Sporting the most represented side. Portugal will feature in Group A of the competition, along with Slovenia and Serbia.

Squad list in full:

Sporting CP: Djô, Fábio Lima, João Matos, Paulinho and Pedro Cary

Fundão: Anilton

Axed Group Latina (Italy): Arnaldo

Inter FS (Spain): Cardinal and Ricardinho

Sp. Braga/AAUM: Tiago Brito e Vítor Hugo

Benfica: Bebé, Bruno Coelho and Fábio Cecílio

Jorge Braz includes eight Alvalade futsal stars

A total of eight Sporting players feature in the Portuguese preliminary squad list for the European Futsal Championships, taking place in Serbia from the 2nd of February.

João Benedito, André Sousa, Djô, João Matos, Pedro Cary, Paulinho, Fábio Lima and Miguel Ângelo are the eight selected, while Alex Merlim and Rodolfo Fortino are on the respective list for the Italians.

Portugal will take part in Group A, along with Slovenia and Serbia.