Paulinho spoke about the friendship with the Cruzeiro player that he built during his time with the Brazilian Olympic Team
On the field, the derby between Atlético 和 Cruzeiro is always marked by intense disputes and, at times, even fights between the players. Off the field, however, many athletes cultivate friendships that go beyond rivalry, as reported by striker Paulinho, a former Galo player who now plays for Palmeiras.
At 24 years old, the striker played for Vasco and Bayer Leverkusen before playing for Atlético and, since the beginning of 2025, for Palmeiras. In addition, Paulinho played for the main Brazilian national team and the Olympic team, where he became friends with Cruzeiro midfielder Matheus Henrique.
“We know many players who have played together in the past. I have played with Matheus Henrique, who is a good friend of mine, we had a very good relationship when we played for the Olympic team. It is always great to meet up with old friends. This makes the derby even more beautiful and with more quality”, revealed the striker in an interview with Revista Mineirão.
Friendship between Paulinho and Matheus Henrique
Paulinho and Matheus Henrique have played together 16 times, all for the Brazilian Olympic Team. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021, the duo was part of the group that won the Olympic championship for Brazil in men’s soccer for the second time.
A little older than his friend, Matheus Henrique is 27 years old and played for São Caetano, Grêmio and Sassuolo before arriving at Toca da Raposa in June 2024. He spoke to Revista Mineirão about the friendships he made during his soccer career and what it’s like to meet up with his teammates in the tunnel before matches. “I was at Grêmio, on the national team, and I made a lot of friends in soccer. Today I face many former teammates, with whom I shared a locker room. That’s when we greet each other, because it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other,” he said.
Despite the friendly atmosphere before the match, Matheus Henrique guarantees that the players leave their friendship outside the pitch: “We always chat, ask how the family is doing, if everything is okay, wish them a good game, and may God bless them. But on the pitch, I want to beat this friend of mine who I greeted before I went on the pitch.” “Here in the tunnel, we have to have the utmost respect for our opponents and, from the moment we step on the pitch, we will fight for the jersey we are wearing,” reinforced Paulinho.
