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 for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Atlético Mineiro and the Brazil national team.

His goal made him the first player born at 2000s to score at Copa Libertadores.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vasco da Gama U17

Vasco da Gama U20

Atlético Mineiro

Brazil U15

Brazil U17

Brazil U21

Brazil U23

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.

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.

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.