Paulinho (footballer, born July 2000)

Paulo Henrique Sampaio Filho, commonly known as Paulinho (born 15 July 2000), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Atlético Mineiro and the Brazil national team.

2017 season
Having progressed through Vasco da Gama's academy, Paulinho was promoted to the club's first-team squad under the management of Milton Mendes on 19 June 2017. On 13 July 2017, two days before his seventeenth birthday, made his professional debut when he was brought on as a 93rd-minute substitute in a 4–1 Brasileirão Série A away win over Vitória. Minutes after entering the field of play, he recorded his professional assist when he set up teammate Guilherme for his side's fourth goal. Eleven days later, he made his first professional start and scored twice in a 2–1 league away win over Atlético Mineiro, becoming the youngest player ever to score at Brasileirão Série A and the first player born at 2000s to score at Brasileirão Série A. On 3 December 2017, Paulinho opened the scoring of a 2–1 home win over Ponte Preta at the last round of 2017 Brasileirão Série A and helped Vasco da Gama to reach a qualification to Copa Libertadores next season.

2018 season
Paulinho made his first Copa Libertadores assist when he set up Evander to open the score in a 4–0 away win over Universidad de Concepción, by the 1st leg of Copa Libertadores second qualifying stage. On the 2nd leg, Paulinho made his first Copa Libertadores goal opening the score in a 2–0 home win over Universidad de Concepción. His goal made him the first player born at 2000s to score at Copa Libertadores.

Bayer Leverkusen
On 27 April 2018, German club Bayer Leverkusen announced that they had reached an agreement with Vasco da Gama for the transfer of Paulinho. The clubs agreed to a €20 million fee, a club-record deal for Vasco. He joined Leverkusen ahead of the 2018–19 season and signed a five-year contract.

Atlético Mineiro
On 1 December 2022, Paulinho joined Atlético Mineiro on loan until June 2023. He made his debut on 21 January 2023 in a Campeonato Mineiro 2–1 win over Caldense and scored his first goal in the following match, a 2–1 win over Tombense. On 1 July, he signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the club on a free transfer.

On 27 August, Paulinho scored the first official goal in Atlético Mineiro's newly inaugurated stadium Arena MRV, with a brace in a Série A 2–0 win over Santos.

Paulinho was the top scorer of the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A season, with 20 goals in 36 appearances.

Youth
In March 2017, Paulinho, along with Vinícius Júnior, Lincoln and Alan, helped Brazil win the South American Under-17 Championship. He scored two goals during the tournament, including the opening goal in Brazil's 5–0 win over Chile in the final.

In October 2017, Paulinho helped Brazil reach 3rd place of 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Paulinho scored the winning goals against Spain at Brazil's debut, North Korea and in quarterfinals against Germany.

On 17 June 2021, Paulinho was named in the Brazil squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Coming on as a substitute, he scored in Brazil's opening game against Germany.

Senior
Paulinho received his first call-up to the Brazil senior team on 6 November 2023, making his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Colombia ten days later.

Personal life
Following the goal he scored in a 4–2 victory over Germany at the 2020 Olympics, Paulinho celebrated by imitating an archer in homage to Oshosi, a popular orisha or spirit in Afro-Brazilian religion. Paulinho later stated that he performed the celebration to draw attention to the prejudice that followers of Candomblé and other minority religions face in Brazil. He was subsequently invited by the Mocidade Samba School to participate in the next year's carnival. One of Paulinho's aunts is the television news commentator, Flávia Oliveira.

Honours
Vasco da Gama U17
 * Taça Guanabara U17: 2015

Vasco da Gama U20
 * Taça Guanabara U20: 2017
 * Taça Rio U20: 2017
 * Campeonato Carioca U20: 2017

Atlético Mineiro
 * Campeonato Mineiro: 2023, 2024

Brazil U15
 * South American Under-15 Football Championship: 2015 Colombia

Brazil U17
 * FIFA U-17 World Cup Third place: 2017
 * South American Under-17 Football Championship: 2017
 * BRICS U-17 Football Cup: 2016

Brazil U21
 * Toulon Tournament: 2019

Brazil U23
 * Summer Olympics: 2020

Individual
 * Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top scorer: 2023
 * Minas Gerais State Championship Team of the Year: 2023
 * Campeonato Carioca MVP: 2018
 * Campeonato Carioca Team of the Year: 2018
 * Campeonato Carioca Best Young Player: 2018
 * "Revelação do Campeonato Brasileiro 2017" in vote held by Esporte Interativo
 * 60 of the best young talents in world football by The Guardian
 * "30 Revelações do Brasileirão" by globoesporte.com
 * "Abusado da Rodada" in the 16th round of the Brasileirão 2017 in vote held by É Gol!!! from SporTV
 * "Pintura da Rodada" in the 16th round of the Brasileirão 2017 in vote held by É Gol!!! from SporTV
 * "Abusado da Rodada" in the 4th round of the Campeonato Carioca 2018 in vote held by É Gol!!! from SporTV
 * Best Player in the 1st match between Vasco da Gama x Jorge Wilstermann by the qualifying stage of the Libertadores 2018
 * 2016 Montaigu Tournament top scorer: 4 goals
 * 2017 U17 World Cup: 3 goals (Brazil's top scorer)

Records
 * Youngest player to play for Vasco da Gama at the professional era (16 years, 11 months and 29 days)
 * Youngest player to score a goal on Campeonato Brasileiro (17 years and 9 days)
 * First player born in the 2000s to score a goal in Campeonato Brasileiro
 * Vasco da Gama's youngest player to score in the Copa Libertadores (17 years, 6 months and 23 days)
 * First player born in the 2000s to score a goal in Copa Libertadores
 * First player born in the 2000s to score two goals in Copa Libertadores
 * 4th youngest Brazilian player to score a goal in Copa Libertadores (19 February 2018)