Ex-Barcelona Midfielder Paulinho Announces Retirement

Former Tottenham, Barcelona and Corinthians midfielder Paulinho has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 36.

In an emotional video, Paulinho said he was “privileged to have been a multi-champion and win important things,” while also contesting two World Cups and ending up at a club as highly-regarded as Barca.

“I left a great legacy,” the midfield warhorse added. “In my last game with Corinthians, with 45 thousand Corinthians, I felt that it would be my last game, [and that] there would be no better way to say goodbye.”

The Brazilian international, who made 56 appearances for the national team, was a free agent after being released by Corinthians earlier in the summer.

After starting his career at a Brazilian club, he made 67 appearances for Tottenham before transferring to Guangzhou F.C. in China. Two years later, he moved to Barcelona on a £35 million deal.

In the summer of 2017, Paulinho joined Barcelona from Guangzhou Evergrande. In 49 matches for the Catalan side, he scored 9 goals and registered 3 assists, but by the summer of 2018, helping them to a league and cup double in 2018 he returned to Guangzhou Evergrande.

The midfielder also had a spell in Europe with Tottenham Hotspur.

His final club was Corinthians, where he played three separate stints, accumulating 212 appearances, scoring 40 goals, and providing 17 assists.