Paulinho almost quit after racist abuse

Quoted by a number of British newspapers, including
the Sunday Telegraph, the Brazil midfielder, who this
summer cost Spurs £17 million from Corinthians,
said he came close to hanging up his boots after his
first stint in European football was tainted.
It was while playing in Lithuania with FC Vilnius and
then in Poland with LKS Lodz that he became the
subject of racist taunts that forced him to return
home to Brazil to weigh up how he would provide for
his wife, Barbara, and his young daughter if his
football career was already at an end.
“There were two games when I went out to play, the
fans were making monkey noises and throwing coins
at me and I just thought: ‘I don’t need to tolerate
this.’ So I made the decision to move on,” Paulinho
said.
“I just felt I didn’t need to do something that put me
in those kinds of situations. I felt a responsibility
towards my mum and dad and I spoke an awful lot
with my wife.
“She mentioned that my parents had always backed
me and that they always did everything for me and
that I should return to football to fight for what they
had given me.
“If I had left football I would not have had anything.
The reality was that as I remained at home I could
not think of anything that could replace it.”
Paulinho rebuilt his career back in Brazil and has
now risen to a prominent position in their national
team, as well as securing a move to the Premier
League.
“I looked at the other offers this summer, but came
to the conclusion that Tottenham would be the right
one for me because of the team, because of the
environment and the league and also the other
players who I would be playing alongside,” he
added.
“The main aim for me and for the other players at
Tottenham is to really aim for titles this season.
Tottenham is a big club and we have great players
here so we should be aiming for the top.”