[Player] Pedro Pauleta

[NicolasN.]

Pauleta deserves his own thread.

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http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/1959/pauletafw4.th.jpg (http://img354.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pauletafw4.jpg)
Profile :

Full Name : Pedro Miguel Carreiro Resendes AKA Pauleta
Nickname : l'Aigle des Açores
Birthdate : 28th April 1973 (35 years old)
Birthplace : Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal
Position : Striker
Number : 9

Clubs :

- 94/95 : Uniao Micaelense; 23 appearances, 11 goals.
- 95/96 : Estoril; 30 appearances, 19 goals.
- 96/98 : Salamanque; 71 appearances, 34 goals.
- 98/2000 : Deportivo la Corogne; 63 appearances, 21 goals.
- 2000/2003 : Bordeaux; 130 appearances, 91 goals.
- 2003/2008 (?) : PSG; 205 appearances, 109 goals.

Current L1 season :

- Appearances : 25 (16 as starter; 9 as substitute)
- Goals : 8 (PSG - Lorient, PSG - Lyon*2, PSG - Toulouse, PSG - Lens, PSG - Valenciennes, PSG - Nice, PSG - Auxerre).
- Playing time : 1576 minutes.
- Yellow/Red cards : 8 yellow cards.

- He scored his 100th goal with PSG during the League Cup game against Montpellier. In fact he scored twice.
- He scored his 101th goal with PSG against Toulouse and broke Dominique Rocheteau's record to become the best striker in PSG history.
- He scored his 200th goal in France against Auxerre on 26th April.

National Team :

- 97/2006 : 88 Appearances, 47 goals.
- First Cap : Portugal - Armenia (3-1) on august 1997.

Awards :
Club :
- 1996 : L2 best striker (Estoril)
- 1997 : L2 runner-up (Salamanca)
- 2000 : L1 champion, Supercopa de Espana winner (Deportivo de la Coruna)
- 2002 : L1 best striker, UNFP's L1 player of the year, League Cup winner (Bordeaux).
- 2003 : UNFP's L1 player of the year.
- 2004 : FA Cup winner, L1 runner-up (PSG).
- 2006 : L1 best striker, FA Cup winner (PSG).
- 2007 : L1 best striker, best striker in PSG history (PSG).
- 2008 : League Cup winner (PSG).

- He was also included in the 50 names list chosen by France Football to elect the new golden ball but I forgot which year it was.

National Team :
- He broke Eusebio's record to become the best striker in Portugal history.
- Euro 2004 : runner-up
- World Cup 2006 : Semi-finalist, best striker in Europe during the World Cup qualifiers.

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Today, FF dedicates a 6 pages article to Pauleta. It's mostly an interview.. It's a pretty good article. "Adeus Pauleta". You'll be missed.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1270/uneff20080506he5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1270/uneff20080506he5.e7e7592ee2.jpg (http://g.imageshack.us/g.php?h=81&i=uneff20080506he5.jpg)

That's my favorite goal from him : http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/pauleta%2Bmarseille/video/x16qo8_but-pauleta-psgom250404_news

[SportBoy333]

You did a good job of defending him over on the Portugal forum. :)

[Mel Brennan]

What a great, great player. Nice thread.

[SportBoy333]

Which of these do you prefer ?

He retires
He plays 1 more season in France
He plays 1 more season in Portugal

[NicolasN.]

Which of these do you prefer ?

He retires
He plays 1 more season in France
He plays 1 more season in Portugal

I'd go for 1 more season with PSG in L1 or in L2. Moulin wants to meet Pedro. I guess that's to extend his contract and I'm pretty sure Pauleta would accept to be less paid. However, he said after today's game that his career is over. Perhaps, that's because of the emotion and he'll change his mind within a few days...

Here are a few pictures :

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9347/stetienne17112263iz3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/1483/200805110807083460um1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Other Pictures :
- 1 (http://img233.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pauletaip4kf8.jpg)
- 2 (http://img233.imageshack.us/my.php?image=9868gt8.jpg)
- 3 (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=9885fp2.jpg)
- 4 (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=760jt1.jpg)
- 5 (http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=9886ed9.jpg)
- 6 (http://img390.imageshack.us/my.php?image=100508pauletats6.jpg)

A few videos, Pauleta Tribute (Download links, WMV) :

Pre-Game (http://www.megaupload.com/fr/?d=NLBJUN6S) (PSGTV; video ripped by me)

After-Match (http://www.megaupload.com/fr/?d=WBZOL9R2) (PSGTV; video ripped by me)

After-Match (C+) (http://superuploader.net/f3c49a42016db61b2bc807a00a1662e5.html) (Credit goes to Soccers.fr)

[parkben1]

You did a good job of defending him over on the Portugal forum. :)

Pauleta is the man and a true Azorian legend. He comes from the same Island as my family and since he's from the Azores he never gets the respect from mainland Portuguese.

[guignol]

a great player and above all a gentleman. the kind of hero our day and age is sorely lacking.

c. ronaldo? he can score 40 goals some year, win 3 ballons d'or, CL's, EPL's etc... he will never be the man pedro is. never.

[SportBoy333]

I'm a huge fan of his but he did underperform at Euro 04 and World Cup 06 so I can understand Portugal fans fustrations. I think maybe they expected too much from him since he score so many goals in friendlys and qualifiers. In the big matches he was subpar. I'm aware that international and club football are different. I think maybe he's a good player but not a great one. I think that is fair.

[NicolasN.]

I'm a huge fan of his but he did underperform at Euro 04 and World Cup 06 so I can understand Portugal fans fustrations. I think maybe they expected too much from him since he score so many goals in friendlys and qualifiers. In the big matches he was subpar. I'm aware that international and club football are different. I think maybe he's a good player but not a great one. I think that is fair.

Would you say the same about Trezeguet ? Both of them got the same criticisms from Portuguese and French fans. They are the same kind of striker. If Pauleta were playing at Juventus instead of PSG you would say he is a great player even though Trezeguet underachieved with the French national team.

Pauleta scored during the big games with PSG (OM, OL etc) and there is most pressure at PSG than in any national team on earth. I tend to consider that every goals and games are important, anyway. For example, if he scores the second goal during PSG - Lorient, PSG win 2-0. If he doesn't score the second goal Lorient tie PSG or score a second goal (CF : PSG - Nice). That's just an example though but In my opinion that's relevant.

To me a great player makes his teammates better. I'll quote a former member of our sect. I mean Fiorese. "He (Pauleta) helped me to step up". Fiorese made the best season in his career when he played with Pedro. There is no coincidence in football. I'll also quote Frei : "This evening, we noticed who the best striker really is in France. No offense (he smiled), but I don't understand why Pauleta is playing at PSG and not at Manchester or..." He ended best L1 striker so often with Corridon, Hellebuyk, Landrin...behind him. No need to say that playing with those bad players makes his performances even more admirable.

Anyway, the most relevant season to show that he is greatthe lik is 2003-2004. PSG reached the CL thanks to Pedro. Pauleta had only 1 opportunity to score during each game and a scored every time he had a chance to score. I'm really not exaggerating. I haven't seen anywhere else a striker able to miss almost nothing during a whole season. He scored 18 goals like Drogba...Plus, if PSG won so many cups during the past few years that's thanks to his goals.

Anyway, his performances at PSG are his best advocate. We won't see anytime soon a player like him and it's not the likes of Nuno Gomes, Helder Postiga or Hoarau who would be able to become the best striker in PSG history. During the upcoming season we'll cry out how much we miss him. If PSG avoided relegation that's because of fighting spirit and Pauleta brought that to the team.

I have to agree with Guignol. He is gentleman. Have you already seen a player benched who is cheering for his teammates like Pedro did ? Personally, I haven't. I remember Cana. He was benched 3 times and he left for Marseille even though he owns a lot (euphemism) to PSG and even more to Kombouaré.

Sorry, my message is once again too long.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Nicolas, I know you have your opinion, and I've got mine, which is that while similar in terms of style, I do think Trez is a class above Pauleta as a footballer. Not to be too harsh on him, but has Pauleta had success anywhere other than in L1? I know he scored some goals in Spain but I don't believe he was considered an elite striker there. Whereas with Trez, he's finished as top scorer in both L1 and Serie A, not to mention that I would think it'd be tougher, as clichéd as it sounds, to get goals in Italy than in France. Also, having watched the two, I think Trez is more precise a finisher and his aerial game is a bit better. Nevertheless, one can't deny how valuable the contributions of Pauleta have been to your club, as well as Bordeaux.

[NicolasN.]

Nicolas, I know you have your opinion, and I've got mine, which is that while similar in terms of style, I do think Trez is a class above Pauleta as a footballer. Not to be too harsh on him, but has Pauleta had success anywhere other than in L1? I know he scored some goals in Spain but I don't believe he was considered an elite striker there. Whereas with Trez, he's finished as top scorer in both L1 and Serie A, not to mention that I would think it'd be tougher, as clichéd as it sounds, to get goals in Italy than in France. Also, having watched the two, I think Trez is more precise a finisher and his aerial game is a bit better. Nevertheless, one can't deny how valuable the contributions of Pauleta have been to your club, as well as Bordeaux.

I mean they have the same profile they both need to be provided in good passes from their teammates. I didn't want to compare them. They receive criticisms because of their style.

Trezeguet never was L1 top scorer though.

Speaking of Pauleta, he complained about "his contract" today :

Pedro Pauleta a confié qu'il aurait aimé discuter de son avenir avec le Paris-Saint-Germain, à quelques jours de la fin de son contrat, qui ne sera pas renouvelé. «Bien sûr que j'aurais aimé qu'on me demande plus tôt ce que je voulais faire, a-t-il déclaré sur l'antenne d'Infosport, dans des propos relayés par l'Agence France-Presse. Je n'ai pas dit que c'était trop tard, mais aujourd'hui c'est difficile. Une chose que j'aurais sincèrement aimée, c'est qu'on me demande: ''Pedro, qu'est-ce que tu veux faire à la fin de la saison?''. Mais c'est normal, on était dans une situation très difficile, et le plus important était que Paris reste en Ligue 1».

«On ne peut jamais dire jamais, on ne sait pas ce qui va se passer, assure cependant le buteur des Açores. A la date d'aujourd'hui, je termine mon contrat, j'ai 35 ans. Une chose est sûre, c'est que Paris, c'est mon dernier club en France et à l'étranger», une phrase qui n'exclut pas formellement une aventure dans un club portugais. «Mon problème de rester à Paris ou non, ça n'a jamais été le salaire, sinon je serais parti il y a deux ans à Lyon», a-t-il assuré en référence àl'intérêt de Jean-Michel Aulas, à l'été 2006, lequel avait débouché sur une revalorisation à Paris.

It'd be a mistake for him to come back to Portugal. Let's face it, he is getting old, he was quite often injured and isn't as precise as he used to be during his first 3 years at PSG and homecoming from old fame are often a failure. Even Zidane's entourage didn't want him to sign at Marseillle at the end of his career because of the pressure.

[SuperSebGrimaldi]

Trezeguet never was L1 top scorer though.


That's a good point, j'oublie que Sonny Anderson was top scorer in 1999/2000.

[parkben1]

a great player and above all a gentleman. the kind of hero our day and age is sorely lacking.

c. ronaldo? he can score 40 goals some year, win 3 ballons d'or, CL's, EPL's etc... he will never be the man pedro is. never.

Ronaldo is also a class act who had to put up with alot of abuse at a very young age. He moved to Lisbon at a very young age from his native Madeira and was abused by his fellow players because of his accent. Whenever Ronaldo gets any sort of criticism he responds with his football..He's a great star and ambassador to the sport and shouldn't be corrupt by some English journalist.

[SportBoy333]

There was more pressure on Pauleta than on Trezeguet because Pauleta was their best option and only consistant scorer while France had other guys besides Trezeguet like Henry and others. Pauleta scored no goals at Euro 2004 and 1 goal at World Cup 06. Thats not good because it maybe shows he couldnt handle all the pressure on him. Trezeguet didnt perform like could and France still wins. No big deal.

[guignol]

Ronaldo is also a class act who had to put up with alot of abuse at a very young age. He moved to Lisbon at a very young age from his native Madeira and was abused by his fellow players because of his accent. Whenever Ronaldo gets any sort of criticism he responds with his football..He's a great star and ambassador to the sport and shouldn't be corrupt by some English journalist.my only take on c. ronaldo is what i see on the pitch, and he looks to me to be a very talented player but also a showboat and a whiner. just not the kind of player who wins my heart.

[Mel Brennan]

http://s.psg.fr/psg/image/phototheque/g/84/16601.jpg

[Mel Brennan]

http://s.psg.fr/psg/image/phototheque/g/83/16600.jpg