Paulinho

Paulinho's current-season form is down 20% on last season (Season 70→56), while his Rating eased 32→21. His peak season for form remains 2024/25 (Season 70).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Toluca	7	8	1	7.59	—	—
2025/26	Toluca · 5th	33	18	4	7.08	21	56
2024/25	Toluca · 1st	37	25	7	7.35	32	70
2023/24	Sporting CP · 1st	32	15	5	7.18	38	51
2022/23	Sporting CP · 4th	21	5	3	6.9	39	26

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 12 earlier seasons in the full career.

Portugal · international

Side	Apps	G
Portugal	5	2

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headGoal-getting Centre-forward

Paulinho is a 33-year-old centre-forward at Toluca, enjoying a standout season — 21 goals and 4 assists in 31 appearances, a Season grade of 74, top 18% of Liga MX centre-forwards. On long-term scout potential he's rated 25.2, ranking 46th of 56 in the Liga MX. A seasoned veteran, he has been an ever-present (92.4% of available minutes). He brings 0.87 goal contributions per 90 (0.73 goals, 0.14 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Paulinho.

Judged on this season alone, Paulinho graded 74 — a strong campaign that ranks top 19% of the 11 centre-forwards in the Liga MX, on 21 goals and 4 assists in 31 appearances (0.872 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 70 → 56). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2024/25.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 25, 8th of 11 of the 11 centre-forwards in the Liga MX. At 33 Paulinho is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 3.8 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2024/25 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2024/25Holding levelBreakout: 2023/24

Current potential8th of 11 centre-forwards · Liga MX Current seasonTop 19% centre-forwards · Liga MX 2nd-best centre-forward in the Liga MX 46th in the Liga MX · potential 8th-highest potential centre-forward in the Liga MX

25.2

Ratingi

8th of 11 centre-forwards

74.1

Seasoni

elite — among the best in the position

92.4%

Minutes

near ever-present

0.87

Goal contrib / 90

elite end product

Output in context · Toluca finished 3rd of 18 · an upper-table side

Apps

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.68

Goals / app

21 goals in 31 appearances (0.68 per game) — a 20-goal season playing for an upper-table side (3rd of 18). He also laid on 4 assists, so the all-round involvement reads 25 goal contributions (0.81 per appearance).

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 92.4% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Final-third output. 0.87 goal contributions per 90 (0.73 goals, 0.14 assists) — productive for the role.

Watch points

Age curve. At 33, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 25.2, Paulinho carries the 8th-highest potential of the centre-forwards in the Liga MX of 11. In the final third he profiles as a genuine goal threat (0.87 goal contributions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.7× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %92.4%

Available fixtures31 of 5

Goals / 900.733

Assists / 900.14

Goal contribution / 900.872

Defensive actions / 900.698

Player flow

Goal involvements25

Shot conversion %48.8

Shot accuracy %55.1

Pass accuracy %76

Dribble success %36.8

Cards / 900.174

Foul involvement / 902.268

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~11), then tapers with age. At 33, Paulinho sits on 3.8, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Paulinho's projected Rating — 25.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-forwards in the Liga MX with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals21

Shots on target43

Shots78

Passing

Assists4

Chances created28

Passes410

Pass accuracy76%

Possession

Successful dribbles7

Dribble success36.8%

Duels won78

Duels won %43.1%

Fouls won28

Penalties won4—

Defending

Tackles15

Interceptions4

Blocks1

Fouls committed37

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards5

Red cards0

Transfer history

TolucaJun 2024 – now

Sporting CPFeb 2021 – Jun 2024

SC BragaJul 2017 – Feb 2021Free

GIL VicenteJul 2013 – Jul 2017Free

TTrofenseuntil Jul 2013

About Paulinho

João Paulo Dias Fernandes is a 33-year-old centre-forward who plays for Toluca, born on November 9, 1992 in Barcelos, standing 188 cm tall. He is from Portugal. Toluca currently sit 3rd of 18 in the Liga MX.

This season

In the current season, Paulinho has made 31 appearances with 21 goals and 4 assists across 2,579 minutes, averaging a 7.75 match rating over his last 2 rated games, with 5 yellow cards.

Recent matches

May 31, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs Tigres UANL (101 minutes, 7 rating)
May 7, 2026: 4-0 win at home vs Los Angeles FC (90 minutes, 2 goals, 8.5 rating)

Paulinho's next match is on August 31, 2026, when Toluca face FC Juarez at home in the Liga MX.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Paulinho at 25.2 with a Season form score of 74.1, ranking 46th of 56 centre-forwards in the Liga MX. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 12 career titles — among them the Liga MX and the Campeón de Campeones. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 17 recorded seasons, Paulinho has totalled 434 club appearances with 165 goals and 47 assists for 6 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2015/16, with 42 appearances for GIL Vicente.

Paulinho's career has also included time at Sporting CP, SC Braga, GIL Vicente and TTrofense.

On the international stage, Paulinho has represented Portugal — 5 caps and 2 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Toluca finished 3rd of 18 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points