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Star forward and dual Liga MX champion Paulinho has been called up by Roberto Martínez to join Portugal's squad for the upcoming March international matches against Mexico and the United States men's national team.
Many were caught off guard when Martínez initially excluded Paulinho from the squad, especially after it was announced that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo would miss the March fixtures due to a hamstring injury. However, with Rodrigo Mora and Rafael Leão both pulling out of Portugal's camp because of injuries, Paulinho now has the chance to stake his claim for the 2026 World Cup.
Portugal issued an announcement on Sunday evening confirming that the 33-year-old striker will join the team's training camp as a replacement for Mora and Leão on Monday, as Martínez's squad arrives in Mexico before taking on El Tri in the grand reopening of Estadio Azteca on Saturday, March 28.
This represents a golden chance for Paulinho to showcase his abilities and push for inclusion in the squad of one of the World Cup favorites—an opportunity that is certainly well-earned.
Paulinho Deserves Portugal Opportunity
No striker has performed better in Mexico since Paulinho transferred to Toluca from Sporting CP in summer 2024. Throughout his three complete Liga MX campaigns, the Portuguese forward has claimed the Golden Boot award as his personal trophy.
Paulinho played a crucial role in Toluca's consecutive Liga MX championship victories in 2025, earning the Liga MX Ballon d'Or as the league's top player. He has netted 55 goals in 81 appearances since joining Los Diablos Rojos, establishing himself as the finest European import to Mexico's premier division this decade.
The clinical finisher expressed feeling "extremely pleased" when he learned of his call-up by Martínez on Sunday, though he also mentioned he would feel even better once he moved past Toluca's frustrating 1–1 stalemate with Pachuca from earlier that day.
Following a six-year absence, Paulinho returns to Portugal duty. The forward has earned three international caps, netting twice in a friendly debut against Andorra before making two substitute appearances in the UEFA Nations League during 2020.
Paulinho Following in Footsteps of European Liga MX Legend
It's rare for European players to move to Liga MX, even rarer for internationals, and exceptionally rare for representatives of world-class national teams. Nevertheless, precedent exists, particularly among elite forwards.
Paulinho's outstanding debut two seasons in Mexico have drawn parallels to former France international and Tigres icon André-Pierre Gignac. The French forward arrived at Tigres in 2015 and has since established himself as one of Liga MX's all-time leading scorers, capturing five league championships along the way.
One year after joining Tigres, Gignac featured for France at the 2016 European Championship, recording an assist across six matches. Gignac memorably hit the goalpost in injury time against Portugal in the final before France suffered a devastating home loss in extra time.
Paulinho is undoubtedly the finest striker to arrive in Mexico's top league since Gignac, and precisely ten years after the Tigres icon represented France at the Euros, another prolific Liga MX center forward could feature for a European giant in a major international competition, as Paulinho hopes to make his World Cup bow this summer.