Player profile: Pauleta

Pedro Miguel Carreiro Resendes, also known as Pauleta will be always remembered as the man who overcame Eusébio as the top goalscorer at the Portugal’s team. Born in Ponta Delgada, Açores the Paris Saint-Germain striker was the first to play for Portugal without ever playing at the Portuguese Super League.

Pauleta began his career as a pro at Estoril and after one season he moved out to Spain where he helped Salamanca to return to the Spanish League and was called to play for Portugal for the first time. He launched after that. Showing as a great scorer he was hired from Deportivo La Coruña where he won the 99/00 Spanish League. Ever since, Pauleta is making success in France. After three great seasons at Bordeaux he was transferred to PSG where he is keeping his good game.

A fine striker, with talent and skill to score in the air or the ground, Pauleta knows the “paths” on the field. “He’s an authentic striker. He fills the blank between two defenders, always stays one step ahead and shoots with accuracy” says Nuno Gomes, Benfica’s foward who duels with Pauleta for a place at Portugal’s Team.

With 11 goals he defeated the Czech Jan Koller(9) and the Sweden Zlatan Ibrahimovic(8) as the top goalscorer during the World Cup Qualifies. With 5′9 he is considered short among them, (Koller is 6′6 and Ibrahimovic is 6′3) but his ability to place himself at the right spot on the field help him overcome his height.

With one goal every 2 games ratio, Pauleta has gained Scolari trust. Although he’s not as popular as Cristiano Ronaldo or Figo, the Portuguese hopes to reach a further phase on World Cup relies on his goals. And he is looking anxious to forget his appearance at the Euro04 where he didn’t score.

Now, Pauleta and the rest of the Portugal Team is looking to reach another record that only Eusebio’s generation did it: be among the top four teams in the World. We can only wait to see if he will reach that too.