Top 50 Paulinho Quotes

My first game with Pochettino I played in my position. But after that I played in every single position but mine.

It’s a great pleasure to be linked to such a great club like Tottenham.

I am very good friends with Oscar and David Luiz, and Ramires at Chelsea is another one I see.

Fans who showed me a lot of affection during my three years at Corinthians continue to follow me.

I’ve always looked at what Lampard does, and to me is a huge phenomenon – the way he hits the ball, what positions he takes up – he really is incredible.

Players always wants to play.

In England, I have acquired more tactical knowledge and improved the speed of my decision making.

Barca are Barca and I don’t think you can say no to them. To play here is to realise a dream.

A good financial proposal doesn’t mean you’ll get to do a lot of things. There are times when you have to think about your career.

When I left Tottenham for China i knew I would be further away but my main objective was to play because I wasn’t playing and I decided to move on.

Football can change very fast.

In Lithuania they had racially abused me, in Poland they hadn’t paid me, and I thought: ‘I don’t need this.’ I said to my family: ‘I’m not playing football again.’

I know Barca have their own style and DNA but I think I can play here.

It really is one of my qualities, moving into different areas of the field, picking up opponents as well as helping to attack.

A lot of people felt it was difficult for me to come to Barca because I was playing in China. Nevertheless, I have achieved my dream and I am enjoying each day.

I feel I am ready to experience football at the highest level in Europe and the opportunity to play in England is a dream.

I am very happy that a great club like Barcelona is interested in me, as that is priceless.

I’m not a hypocrite and I’m a transparent person.

You are told before coming to Europe that big teams here quite often rotate players. I respect this culture but it is instinctive for me to get annoyed if I don’t play every game.

Ever since I was five years old, running around the streets of Zona Norte with a football, my mother has been by my side in every situation.

I was getting ready to take a free-kick in a game between Brazil and Argentina. Suddenly, I saw Messi behind me getting closer bit by bit, and he says ‘are we going to Barcelona or not?’ I said, ‘if you want to bring me there, you can. I’ll go.’

I have always been very calm and with all the triumphs I have had I have always been sure to thank my colleagues and take things in a humble way. It is only because of this humility that I have achieved so much.

Football is a game where you have to do a bit of everything if you want your team to have the edge.

Football without critics wouldn’t be football.

Money for me never came first.

When I was 19 years old, I quit football completely. For about a month, I stayed at home in a depression. This was in the summer of 2008.

It is special to play alongside the best footballer in the world.

I’ve had the opportunity to play with Neymar on the national team. Now I’m playing alongside Messi. He’s a different player, but he’s the best player in the world.

I’ve always been this kind of player: since youth level I’ve been a midfielder who can arrive and finish.

I had no problem with Pochettino.

I have been playing since I was five and it is a large part of my life.

You have to go to sleep at night staring at the wall, thinking, ‘Damn, I can’t wait for it to be morning so I can have the ball at my feet again!’ You can only play your best football in these conditions.

I have to play. Doesn’t matter where.

If you are not playing in your position in a league as competitive as England then it is difficult.

I never take free kicks because it’s not my job.

My life’s been a rollercoaster.

I’ve heard it said that I’m silencing the critics so many times but it’s not that: I don’t have to prove myself to anyone.

We are not going to compare one player to another but my way of playing is a lot more Lampard than Busquets.

Here in the Premier League you need to be very quick mentally. Spaces are shorter and the game is much more tactical and tight.

Football without challenges isn’t football.

I left Brazil at 17 years old in order to give my family a better life, but when I returned home two years later, I was completely disillusioned with football.

For the clubs that I’ve played for I always tried to fulfill my contract.

For a footballer, not playing is like a fish not being in the water.

When you change teams, cities or countries it’s obvious there’s a period of adaption, but some players can adapt quicker than others.

I did not have to prove anything to people who doubted me, just to my team-mates and to Barcelona. The best thing is to do it on the field, with victories, with goals. But more than the goals is winning matches.

As a player, I just focus on the games and concentrate on improving myself.

When the transfer window opens, every player can leave his club and find another challenge.

I’ve played football my entire life, all over the world, and the one thing I’ve learned is that the important thing is to enjoy your work.

One minute I was with Tottenham, the next came a proposal from China. I took a step back to think about it and decided it was the right time to move.

I consider myself privileged to play alongside the best in the world.