Paulo Futre
The Portuguese left winger who became an Atlético Madrid fan favourite despite persistent knee injuries.
Paulo Futre is a Portuguese former professional footballer who played as a left winger. He started his career with Sporting CP, then moved to Porto – winning the 1987 European Cup – after which he embarked in an extensive professional career, having represented clubs in Spain, France, Italy, England and Japan, most notably Atlético Madrid. He also appeared for Benfica during four months in 1993, and his later years were blighted by injury problems. A Portuguese international from the age of 17, Futre earned over 40 caps for his country, representing it at the 1986 World Cup.
- Role
- Left Winger
- Affiliation
- Atlético Madrid (1987–1993)
- Nationality
- Portuguese
- Status
- Retired
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
After winning the 1986–87 European Cup with Porto, Futre was traded to Atlético Madrid in Spain, earning a reported annual salary of €650,000. At the capital club, he quickly rose to fan favourite status, but his physical weakness left him with several knee injuries which tormented his career in the 1990s. In his fifth season, Futre provided countless assists for striker Manolo who scored 27 goals for the Pichichi Trophy, with him netting in the campaign's Copa del Rey, a 2–0 win over rivals Real Madrid. During most of his spell with the Colchoneros, he was also team captain.
In Their Own Story
In his fifth season at Atlético Madrid, Futre provided countless assists for striker Manolo, who scored 27 goals to win the Pichichi Trophy. Futre himself netted in the campaign's Copa del Rey final, a 2–0 win over rivals Real Madrid. During most of his spell with the Colchoneros, he was also team captain. After his time in Italy, Futre agreed to a one-year deal with West Ham United, where he infamously refused to play until he was given squad number 10. Finally, he returned to Atlético Madrid for ten La Liga matches in 1997–98, effectively ending his career with J1 League club Yokohama Flügels.
Reader's Guide
Paulo Futre played as a left winger for Atlético Madrid from 1987 to 1993, with a brief return for ten La Liga matches in 1997–98. At the capital club, he quickly rose to fan favourite status, but his physical weakness left him with several knee injuries which tormented his career in the 1990s. In his fifth season, Futre provided countless assists for striker Manolo who scored 27 goals for the Pichichi Trophy, with him netting in the campaign's Copa del Rey, a 2–0 win over rivals Real Madrid. During most of his spell with the Colchoneros, he was also team captain. After his playing career, Futre worked as director of football at Atlético Madrid from 2000 to 2003.
Did You Know?
- Futre was traded to Atlético Madrid after winning the 1986–87 European Cup with Porto.
- He earned a reported annual salary of €650,000 at Atlético Madrid.
- In his fifth season, he provided countless assists for striker Manolo, who scored 27 goals to win the Pichichi Trophy.
- Futre netted in the 1990–91 Copa del Rey final, a 2–0 win over rivals Real Madrid.
- During most of his spell with Atlético Madrid, he was also team captain.
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