25 November 2006, by Sean Gillen

Pauleta announces retirement date

Portugal’s record goalscorer to hang up boots in 2008

Portuguese striker Pedro Pauleta has revealed that he intends to retire from football at the end of next season, and admits that he does have some regrets about not playing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs during his career.

The Azorean has been the most consistent goalscorer in French football since signing for Bordeaux in the summer of 2000 from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. He hit an astonishing 65 league goals in 98 league games while at the Stade Chaban Delmas, before making the move to PSG in 2003.

Following his arrival at the Parc Des Princes, Pauleta has become club captain, and has scored an additional 59 league goals in the capital, including six in twelve appearances this season. He has become a huge favourite amongst the Parisian fans, and it is often claimed that the team are too reliant on his goalscoring abilities.

“I want to terminate my career at this club, in 2008. I will have a sabbatical year to stay with my family. I will terminate my career at Paris, at the end of next season,” he explained.

“At Paris, I am fine. Even if it will not be this year, I think I will achieve beautiful things in Paris. This season my aim is to finish as top scorer. I can also become the top scorer in PSG history. That is my great aim.”

The chance arose for the 33-year-old to join French champions Lyon during the summer, but Pauleta maintains that he was right to turn the move down: “I will never regret my decision to stay last summer. If I wanted to be champion this year, I knew it had to be at Lyon. I didn’t stay at Paris for that,” he said.

The link with Lyon was not the first occasion in his career that Pauleta has had offers from some of Europe’s top clubs, and he concedes that he does feel a slight sense of an opportunity missed by not moving up to the highest level.

“I had contact with Arsenal. With Valencia too, and once I talked to Barcelona. But all the clubs where I played were happy with me, so it was difficult to leave,” he says.

“After my first season at Bordeaux, Arsenal wanted me, but my officials asked for a lot of money. Do I have any regrets? Maybe… Playing for Real, Barca or AC Milan. They are three clubs you want to play for.”

Portugal’s all-time record goalscorer has also confirmed that he do not intend to take up coaching after he hangs up his boots: “I will remain close to PSG, available for the club, even if there is no official link. I know I don’t want to become a coach.”