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PEDRO MIGUEL CARREIRO RESENDES 'PAULETA'
Date of Birth: 28 April, 1973
Nationality: Portugal (international)
Period at Deportivo: 1998 - 2000
Transfer: 825 mln pts (ca €5,3 million) (1998, Salamanca)
Previous Clubs: Salamanca (1996-1998), Estoril (1995-1996), Micaelense (1994-1995)
Sold: $8,5 million (2000, to Bordeaux)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Position: Striker
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 Portuguese striker PAULETA spent just two seasons at Deportivo before he gained a reputation as European top striker. But it was the right time he spent at the Galician club because he was an important factor in the year Deportivo won their first ever Liga.
In 1996 Pauleta came to Spain to play for Segunda División club Salamanca. He helped the club gain promotion that season by scoring 19 goals, and one year later scored 15 goals in the Primera División. It impressed Deportivo, as the club desperately needed to sign a new striker after a disastrous 1997/1998 campaign. Although the supporters had their doubts, the club spent a considerable sum of money to get him.
In his first months at Deportivo the first critics proved to be right as Pauleta didn't score goals. He scored his first one against little Jerez de los Caballeros in the Copa del Rey but added two Liga goals five days later against Alavés in Riazor. In total Pauleta would score 10 Liga goals that season but lost the fight for a starting place against 'Turu' Flores.
His second season was again a troublesome one although it had a happy end. The arrival of Makaay at the club seemed to help him, as he scored 9 goals in the first three months, among which was a hat-trick against Sevilla. Then his production suddenly stopped as Makaay started to occupy headlines and Irureta started switched to using just one striker. Pauleta scored just 2 other goals in the remaining months of the season and finished at a total of just 11 goals.
Nevertheless, his goals in the first few months were vital ones because in that period Deportivo built up a big gap with their rivals which proved to be enough to win the Liga in May. Still the striker hadn't convinced in two full seasons while Deportivo would play Champions League football for the first time in their history. The club had Makaay and 'Turu' Flores in their squad and signed Tristán and Pandiani that summer. It was evident that Pauleta's time at Deportivo was over. After 58 Liga matches for them he was sold to French club Bordeaux.
People didn't have to feel sorry for Pauleta as he would become more successful in the years after Deportivo. He made an impressive debut at Bordeaux scoring a hat-trick against Nantes. In total he would score an incredible amount of 65 goals in the French competition for this club and twice was named France's Footballer of the Year.
In 2003 it earned him a transfer to Paris-Saint Germain, and he helped the Parisians to win their first silverware in six years, by scoring the only goal of the French Cup final against Châteauroux. PSG finished second in the domestic competition and Pauleta scored 18 goals.
Pauleta not only impressed with his goals in France, but also would become the most important Portugese striker at the start of the new century. He made his debut for the national team in August 1997 against Armenia but had to wait 18 months for his first start against The Netherlands.
One of his finest hours came against the Dutch during a qualification in Rotterdam as Pauleta scored both goals in the 0-2 win. At the 2002 World Cup itself Pauleta scored three times in three matches, a hat-trick against Poland in the team's only victory of the finals.
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