Paulinho’s return to the Portugal squad caught many people off guard, but it could result in him featuring in the 2026 World Cup this summer.
Injuries to Rafael Leao and Rodrigo Mora triggered his call-up for the recent friendlies against Mexico and the United States.
However, his form in Mexican football warranted his return to the national team set-up. The question now is, can he book a spot in Roberto Martinez’s final squad?
Mexico move has changed the narrative
Paulinho joined Deportivo Toluca from Sporting CP in 2024 with little belief that the transfer would reopen the door to the Portugal squad.
However, a tally of 61 goals and 13 assists in 87 appearances for the club was enough to persuade Martinez to bring him back in the fold.
While Mexico is often misrepresented as a footballing backwater, the reality is somewhat different. For starters, it is markedly different to Portuguese football.
Mexican football is a high-octane and physical environment, presenting challenges that the 33-year-old striker has clearly thrived upon.
He has earned respect in Mexico, drawing comparisons with former France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who similarly flourished there.
Paulinho has transitioned into an experienced finisher who can decide games without needing an attack to be built entirely around him. That makes him an intriguing option for Portugal.
Martinez has plenty of attacking options at his disposal, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Felix, but none of them offers what Paulinho brings to the table.
Paulinho offers Martinez something different
It has been suggested in some quarters that Martinez does not fancy Paulinho because he is too similar to Ronaldo and Goncalo Ramos.
While there may be some merit to the comparison with Ramos, it no longer bears up to scrutiny where Ronaldo is concerned.
For all that he has been padding out his statistics in the Saudi Pro League (SPL), the 41-year-old is no longer the force of old.
He still has the ability to be a game-changer, but no longer possesses the physicality that a team with aspirations of winning the World Cup needs.
Elsewhere, Rafael Leao is most dangerous on the left flank, Pedro Neto stretches defences from wide areas and Felix is better deployed as a second striker.
It is worth noting that Paulinho does not need to be the first choice to be useful. He can be the striker Portugal turns to when a match requires a more physical approach.
Paulinho is experienced and comfortable playing with his back to goal. He provides teams with a focal point, occupies centre-backs, brings runners into play and attacks balls into the box.
He connects attacks, drops into pockets, presses when required and makes space for quicker forwards around him. These are traits he has honed in Mexico.
That skill blend is important for Martinez, whose Portugal side often dominates possession but lacks a more rugged option when opponents sit deep.
The timing could not be better
Paulinho’s recall was his first involvement with Portugal in more than five years. He came on during the 0-0 draw with Mexico at the reopened Aztec Stadium, and the moment was symbolic.
Here was a Portuguese striker who plied his trade in Mexico playing against their national team just a few months before they will co-host the 2026 World Cup.
That context matters for Paulinho. He is more familiar with the conditions and atmosphere of North American football than the Portuguese players who are based in Europe.
Although that will not be enough on its own to guarantee him a squad place, it gives him another small advantage in a tight selection debate.
World Cup squads generally include one or two players who make sense due to contextual factors, and Paulinho is undoubtedly in that category.
Martinez cannot afford to ignore Paulinho
The most convincing part of Paulinho’s case for selection is that Martinez does not need to completely abandon his principles to accommodate him.
He would not expect to replace the so-called ‘big-hitters’ in the squad, but would happily serve as an alternative option. That distinction could be decisive when Martinez picks his squad.
It has been rumoured that Ronaldo does not want Paulinho in the squad, which would not be surprising given that he is a rival for game time.
However, Portugal have spent the last 20 years pandering to Ronaldo’s needs, and it has got them nowhere in the World Cup.
While Ronaldo will probably start this summer, it is unrealistic to expect him to complete 90 minutes in every game.
If Martinez is serious about winning the World Cup, he needs attacking options. World Cups are rarely won by teams that rely solely on ‘Plan A’.
Martinez has repeatedly made that mistake throughout his managerial career, both in club football and during his spell in charge of Belgium.
Paulinho offers experience, goals, physical presence and momentum. He is a live contender because his case is based on production rather than nostalgia.
He is not the future of Portugal’s attack. However, the same point applies to Ronaldo. Ultimately, Portugal must focus on the short-term rather than the future.
Overlooking a player who is a proven weapon in the same conditions Portugal will face this summer could be catastrophic for Martinez.
A player in form who understands his role and gives a manager a different way to win a match is invaluable at the World Cup.
On that basis, Paulinho has to be part of the Portugal squad this summer.
