Players

Paulo Jr. was acquired on loan from Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer on 7/17/12. In Strikers franchise history, he is fifth all-time in goals scored with 11 and third all-time in assists with seven. 

He joined Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer via loan from Miami FC on 9/9/10. His loan deal was extended for the 2011 season on 12/27/10, which included an option to purchase contract rights through 2014 at end of the agreement. RSL purchased his rights from the Strikers on 2/9/12 and Paulo signed a new three-year contract.

MLS Career

2012: Paulo has scored a goal and an assist over 14 games, with eight starts, for the Western Conference side.

2011: Tallied a pair of goals and four assists across 11 appearances (6 starts, 563 mins.) in limited action during the regular season … Also added an assist in 24 minutes spread across two substitute appearances in CONCACAF Champions League play during the squad’s run through the Championship Stage … Also started six of seven contests in MLS Reserve League play, totaling 429 minutes … Provided an assist on RSL’s third goal (Morales, 77’) on 3/01 v. CLB in Leg 2 of the CCL Quarterfinals during a 19 min. appearance off the bench in the squad’s series-clinching 4-1 triumph … Helped bookend RSL’s scoring on 3/26 v. LA, assisting on Williams’ 2^nd minute opener before scoring one of his own in the 68^th minute of the dominant performance in Sandy … Helped secure a three-point road result on 4/09 @ NE, his 47’ breakaway tally counting as the insurance goal in a thorough 2-0 triumph … Again proved vital to victory just four days later on 4/13 v. COL, his 21-minute stint including an assist on Espindola’s stoppage-time score that lifted RSL to a 1-0 win in the Rocky Mountain Cup series … 5-minute cameo in Leg Two of the CCL Finals on 4/27 v. Monterrey would prove to be his last first-team action for four months … L hamstring and R hip flexor strains would force the Brazilian from the field for four month, his return coming on 8/13 @ TOR via a 9-minute run off the bench … Added assists on 9/03 v. PHI (Beckerman, 18’) in a 2-1 win and on 9/24 @ DC (Saborio, 86’) in a 1-4 defeat … Listed on 18-man roster in each of RSL’s three postseason contests but did not see the field.

2010: Appeared in six games across all competitions for Real Salt Lake after joining the club on loan on 9/09, scoring three goals in 176 minutes of play … Scored three goals in just 65 minutes across two games in CONCACAF Champions League play … Made an immediate impact in his RSL debut on 9/15 v. TOR, entering the CCL contest in the 74^th minute and opening his scoring account just 6 minutes later, capping the scoring in RSL’s vital 4-1 victory … Made his MLS debut three days later on 9/18 v. CHI, logging another 16 minutes in RSL’s 1-0 win that broke the record for the longest MLS home undefeated streak at 23 games … After missing a handful of games due to a left hamstring strain, returned to the field on 10/9 @ NY via a 22-minute stint of the bench in a scoreless draw at Red Bull Arena … Scored RSL’s first two goals on 10/19 v. Cruz Azul (43’, 67’) in the CCL Group A finale for both sides, pacing the Utahans to a 3-1 win that allowed RSL to become the first MLS team in nine tries to win a Group Stage … Played final 29 minutes on 10/22 @ COL in the regular season finale, a 2-2 draw that allowed RSL to maintain the Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry trophy for a fourth consecutive season … Made his postseason debut in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series on 10/06 v. DAL, playing the last 17 minutes off the bench in the 1-1 draw that ended RSL’s 2010 campaign … Saw loan deal extended for 2011 MLS season on 12/27, with Utah side holding option to purchase contract rights through 2014 at the end of the campaign.

Domestic/International Professional Career

2010: Miami FC (USSF D-2 Pro League): Started 18 of his 22 matches with Miami FC in League play, registering a team-high 8 goals and adding 4 assists across 1,675 minutes of action, numbers that led to him being named to the USSF D-2 Pro League’s Best XI team for 2010 … At the time of his departure, ranked in USSF D-2’s top five with 20 points (3^rd), 8 goals (T-4^th), and 50 shots (5^th) … Also scored five times in three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup contests, ranking at the top of the competition’s scoring chart (alongside Seattle’s Nate Jaqua) … Four of those goals came during a 10-minute span in added extra time in Miami FC’s First Round 5-1 win over the Central Florida Kraze (PDL) on 6/15 … Also tallied the Blues’ opener (2’) a week later in the squad’s 2-1 (AET) victory over fellow D-2 USSF side Tampa Bay … Started and went the full 90 minutes on 6/29 at Houston Dynamo in a 0-1 Third Round defeat … Re-signed with Miami on 3/15 for its 2010 season.

2009: Miami FC (USL First Division): Notched three goals and three assists across 18 appearances in his first season with Miami … Made his Blues debut on 5/20 v. Charleston Battery … Scored his first USL goal a month later on 6/20 vs. Cleveland City Stars.

2008: Ituano FC (Campeonato Brasileiro Série C): Began his professional career in 2008 with Ituano FC of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C before signing with Miami FC in 2009.

Personal

Full name is Paulo Morais de Araujo Junior