The Ultimate Sacrifice: The Unbreakable Story of Juninho Paulista, the Only Player to Win Premier League Player of the Year While Being Relegated
They say no Brazilian superstar has ever truly conquered the Premier League. Legends like Coutinho and Firmino may have secured major trophies, but they never achieved that singular, undeniable status as the undisputed greatest player in the land, unburdened by circumstance. Yet, history has forgotten someone. The narrative overlooks a 5’5” baby-faced magician who forced every player in the Queen’s land to bend the knee: Juninho Paulista.
His most astonishing achievement is also the reason he became a forgotten figure in the modern pantheon. Juninho is the only player, from any nation, to ever be named the Premier League’s Player of the Year while playing for a team that suffered relegation. In 1997, his brilliance for Middlesbrough was so overwhelming that the collective voice of the league declared him its best, even as the club tumbled out of the top flight. It is a statistical anomaly, a tragicomic contradiction that defines a career built on staggering talent and perpetual misfortune.
For the town of Middlesbrough, Juninho was, for a time, the best player in the whole of England. But outside that passionate northern enclave, the memory of his genius is often reduced to an occasional footnote on a podcast, or a comment from a fellow legend like Paul Scholes, who simply recalls him as being “unbelievable, like Messi.” His is a story of ultimate sacrifice, a world-class talent who repeatedly chose loyalty over legacy, and whose decision to keep coming back to save the club he loved likely cost him the world at his feet.
The Phenomenal Rise of the Little Fella
Juninho’s journey was defined by a battle against the odds, both physical and institutional. Kicked out of the prestigious Corinthians Academy at 13 due to his small stature, his eventual breakthrough came six years later at Ituano, followed by a move to São Paulo under the legendary coach Telê Santana. This was São Paulo at the peak of its powers, already strong contenders for the title of best team on the planet.
Despite the formidable squad, Juninho quickly proved his worth. Just two months into his time, he clinched his first title, the South American Super Cup. He went on to secure another continental title in a special edition of the Libertadores. Santana, however, recognised that the diminutive playmaker needed to build strength to handle the physical demands of top-level football. Juninho was put on the same rigorous diet and bodybuilding plan that had famously transformed Zico into a global star.
The results were incredible. In his second season, he helped São Paulo demolish an AC Milan team that had played in five Champions League finals in six years, demonstrating to Europe why South America was convinced of their supremacy. Even more absurdly, during a scheduling “freak show” that pitted two competitions back-to-back, Juninho became the first player ever to play two official club matches in the same day. He would pop out for the 8 p.m. kickoff, scoring and assisting, before changing clothes and popping back out for the 10 p.m. kickoff, securing another win. He concluded that whirlwind season by taking another continental trophy, this time as the competition’s top scorer from midfield.
By 1995, Juninho was securing his debut for one of the most stacked Brazilian national teams of all time. Despite locker room pushback—with Captain Dunga famously asking the manager why he had called up this “schoolboy”—Juninho assisted twice on his debut. He was then handed the iconic Brazilian number 10 shirt, lining up alongside a young Ronaldo. In the final of the Umbro Cup against England, he outshone the phenomenal striker, daring to take a free-kick while a goal down, banging it in, and assisting the winner to take the trophy. European clubs, including Inter, Porto, and Arsenal, immediately swarmed.
The Impossible Pledge to Middlesbrough
The fate of Middlesbrough changed on that day. Their player-manager, Brian Robson, was Terry Venables’ second coach and was dumbfounded by Juninho’s performance in the Umbro Cup final. He had a vision: to sign a world-class talent before their prime. Against all common sense and sporting logic, Robson went all-in. Middlesbrough, a recently promoted club from a random city, signed the newest Brazilian number 10.
The city descended into chaos, greeting Juninho with a crowd of 6,000 fans. The culture shock was immediate. The club was so unprepared for his arrival that his supposed translator could barely understand him. Juninho ended up being taken in by a Brazilian immigrant family, a bond that lasted decades. He faced relentless claims that a Brazilian could never stand the physicality of English football, and the northern cold was so brutal he was forced to stuff newspaper in his boots to keep his feet warm.
Despite the challenges, the “Little Fella” took just 11 minutes to register his first assist. The football world quickly realised that the muddy pitches he’d endured during a tropical storm in the São Paulo state championship were not that different from a cold, rainy night at Stoke. In his first season, he impressed enough to help the club escape relegation for the first time in 15 years.
The following season, Robson’s ambition exploded. They were nicknamed the “United Nations of football,” bringing in two more Brazilians and two Italians, including the colossal Fabrizio Ravanelli, a Champions League winner. Juninho and Ravanelli combined for 22 goal contributions in the opening seven matches, sparking talk of a miracle season.
The Contagious Tragedy and FA Betrayal
However, the season unravelled in a manner only Juninho’s tragic career could orchestrate. The destabilising departure of Nick Barmby, a focus on cup competitions, and a widespread virus that hospitalised half the squad all converged disastrously. The virus hit so hard that, with only 12 first-team players fit, the club struggled to get an answer from the FA regarding the postponement of their next match.
The FA’s response was scandalous. While they eventually postponed the game, they also, for seemingly no reason, docked Middlesbrough three points, with some within the organisation reportedly calling them a “Sunday league club.” The outrage was media-wide, yet the penalty stood.
The club, still confident, focused on the cup competitions. Despite having the leakiest defence in the country, Juninho and Ravanelli’s incredible form dragged them to the League Cup final, where they settled for a draw and lost the subsequent rematch. They then committed the same mistake, going all-in on the FA Cup, reaching the final and forcing a replay in the semi-finals. While this secured them the club’s first-ever FA Cup final appearance, it meant they reached the final three league games of the season completely worn out, having played 15 games in two months, firmly rooted in the relegation zone.
Juninho fought desperately, scoring and creating against Manchester United, with Sir Alex Ferguson proclaiming him the best in the league. But Ravanelli was injured, leaving him alone for the final two games. Despite Juninho’s eventual 31 goal contributions for the season, the club went down. The devastating FA decision proved fatal; had they simply awarded the three points, Middlesbrough would have survived. The season ended with Juninho crying on the pitch, his heart broken, knowing that the Brazilian Federation would force him to leave the club he loved to secure his place in the upcoming World Cup. Six days later, they lost the FA Cup final.
The World Champion and the Happy Ending
Leaving Middlesbrough became the biggest regret of Juninho’s career. His move to Atlético was soon overshadowed by tragedy when Michel Salgado’s brutal tackle broke his ankle, forcing him to miss the 1998 World Cup.
His redemption came in Brazil. Loaned to Vasco da Gama, the newspapers declared him their saviour. In a four-month miracle, he provided enough support to the legendary Romário, who had his best-ever goal-scoring season, and produced decisive moments himself. In the Copa Mercosur final, after trailing three goals behind at halftime, Juninho won two penalties before scoring the equaliser himself, with the winner coming off his rebound in injury time. He then led them to the Brazilian Championship title, going from past his best to being handed the Silver Ball as one of the best players in Brazil.
This resurrection secured his participation in the 2002 World Cup. When captain Emerson was injured on the eve of the tournament, Juninho was asked to take over his deep midfield role. Channeling his inner grit, he put up tireless performances as the ‘worst’ Brazilian squad in decades made it all the way to the final and took the title. He was a World Champion.
After the World Cup, he was bombarded with offers but, now 30, there was only one thing he truly dreamed of: a happy ending at Middlesbrough. He waved off every other offer and returned. Before his third debut, however, he ruptured his ACL.
His recovery was a slow, stubborn fight, but he insisted on a second season, and thank God he did. He led them on an unbeaten run, scored the only goal in the League Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’, and played a part in the moment that earned a red card for Martin Keown, securing their place in the final. Against Bolton, he was the top scorer and the creative heart as Middlesbrough won their first and only ever major trophy.
In his own words, his dream had come true, and it felt “every bit as good as winning the World Cup.” Voted by the fans as Middlesbrough’s greatest ever player, his story is an unparalleled testament to the power of loyalty, the tragedy of sporting circumstance, and the undeniable genius of a 5’5” Brazilian who conquered the Premier League in the most impossible way imaginable. His final act, long after his prime, was to return to his first club, Ituano, and score the goal that saved them from relegation in the final game of the season—a final, selfless miracle that cemented his legacy as the ultimate footballing warrior.
