Paulo Futre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paulo Futre

Futre holding the 1992 Copa del Rey trophy
Personal information
Date of birth	(1966-02-28) 28 February 1966 (age 59)
Place of birth	Montijo, Portugal
Height	1.75 m
Playing position	Winger
Youth career
1974–1975	Montijo
1975–1983	Sporting CP
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1983–1984	Sporting CP	21	(3)
1984–1987	Porto	81	(23)
1987–1993	Atlético Madrid	163	(38)
1993	Benfica	11	(3)
1993	Marseille	8	(2)
1993–1995	Reggiana	13	(5)
1995–1996	AC Milan	1	(0)
1996–1997	West Ham United	9	(0)
1997–1998	Atlético Madrid	10	(0)
1998	Yokohama Flügels	13	(3)
Total		330	(77)
National team
1981–1983	Portugal U16	19	(6)
1981–1984	Portugal U18	24	(3)
1983	Portugal U21	2	(0)
1983–1995	Portugal	41	(6)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Paulo Jorge dos Santos Futre (born 28 February 1966) is a famous Portuguese former footballer. He played as a left winger, known for his speed and skill.

Many people think he was one of the best players of his time. He started his career with Sporting CP in Portugal. Later, he moved to Porto and helped them win the European Cup in 1987.

After that, he played for many clubs in different countries. He played in Spain, France, Italy, England, and Japan. His most well-known club was Atlético Madrid in Spain. He also played for Benfica for a short time. Sadly, injuries affected his career later on.

Paulo Futre also played for the Portuguese national team from a young age. He played over 40 games for his country. He even represented Portugal at the 1986 World Cup.

Paulo Futre's Club Career

Early Days at Sporting CP and Porto

Paulo Futre was born in Montijo, Portugal. He started playing professional football at just 17 years old for Sporting CP. He had been part of their youth training system since he was nine. After one season, he moved to Porto. This move happened as part of a deal involving other players.

At Porto, Futre helped his team win the Primeira Liga (the top Portuguese league) twice. He also played a big part in Porto winning the European Cup in 1987. This was a huge achievement for the club. He was even named the best player in the final match against Bayern Munich.

Time at Atlético Madrid

After his success with Porto, Futre joined Atlético Madrid in Spain. He quickly became a favorite among the fans. However, he started to have problems with knee injuries. These injuries affected his career throughout the 1990s.

In his fifth season with Atlético, Futre was amazing at setting up goals for his teammate Manolo. Manolo scored many goals that season. Futre also scored in the Spanish Cup final in 1992. Atlético Madrid won that game 2–0 against their rivals Real Madrid. For most of his time at Atlético, he was also the team's captain.

Playing for Many Teams and Retirement

In 1993, Futre moved to Benfica, another big club in Portugal. He won the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup) with them. He even scored in the final match. But his injury problems continued.

After Benfica, he played for Marseille in France. His time there was difficult because of more injuries. He then moved to Reggiana in Italy. In his first game, he scored a fantastic goal. But he got another serious injury in the same match, which kept him out for a long time.

He later joined AC Milan in Italy. However, due to his ongoing injuries and strong competition from other players, he only played one game for them.

Futre as a UEFA ambassador in 2019

After Italy, Futre played for West Ham United in England. He famously refused to play until he got his preferred jersey number, 10. He then returned to Atlético Madrid for a short time. He finished his playing career with Yokohama Flügels in Japan. In 1999, he was listed among the top 100 greatest footballers of the 20th century by World Soccer magazine.

Paulo Futre's International Career

Paulo Futre played 41 games for the Portuguese national team. He scored six goals during his 12 years with the team. He made his debut when he was very young, at just 17 years old. This set a new record for the national team.

He was part of the Portuguese team that played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Portugal did not get past the group stage in that tournament.

Paulo Futre's Style of Play

Paulo Futre was a very talented and creative winger. He was left-footed and known for his amazing speed. His playing style was even compared to the legendary Diego Maradona.

He was great at dribbling the ball. His quick feet and agility allowed him to get past many opponents. Futre could both create chances for others and score goals himself. He was a versatile player, meaning he could play in different attacking roles.

Even though he was very talented when he was young, his career was greatly affected by injuries. These injuries led to him not playing as consistently and scoring fewer goals. He had to retire from football at the age of 32.

After Playing Football

After retiring as a player, Paulo Futre worked as a director for Atlético Madrid from 2000 to 2003. Later, he became involved in real estate in his hometown. In 2011, he tried to become the president of Sporting CP, but he was not successful.

Paulo Futre's Personal Life

Paulo Futre's younger son, Fábio, also played football. He was a midfielder and played for Atlético Madrid's youth teams. He was also called up to play for Portugal's under-17 national team. Paulo's nephew, Artur Futre, also played professional football. His older son, Paulo, was in a rock band.

Paulo Futre Sr. also worked as a television presenter. He hosted a late-night talk show called A Noite do Futrebol (The Night of Futreball).

Honours and Achievements

Porto

• Primeira Liga: 1984–85, 1985–86
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1984, 1986
• European Cup: 1986–87

Atlético Madrid

• Copa del Rey: 1990–91, 1991–92

Benfica

• Taça de Portugal: 1992–93

AC Milan

• Serie A: 1995–96

Individual Awards

• Portuguese Footballer of the Year: 1986, 1987
• Ballon d'Or: 1987 (2nd place)
• World Soccer: 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time

Images for kids

• 

  Futre holding the 1992 Copa del Rey trophy

See also

In Spanish: Paulo Futre para niños