Quick Facts
Biography
Jean Francisco Rodrigues (born 28 November 1977), commonly known as Jean Paulista, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a forward or an attacking midfielder.
Club career
Born in Sertãozinho, São Paulo, Paulista played with modest Sport Club Corinthians Alagoano and Esporte Clube Taubaté in his country. In 1998, he moved to Portugal where he remained for the following seven years, representing S.C. Farense, S.C. Braga and Vitória F.C. in the top division and C.D. Aves, Imortal DC and F.C. Maia in the second level. His best personal output, in the country and overall, came in the 2003–04 season, when he scored seven goals to help Aves to the eighth position.
From 2005 to 2008 Paulista competed in Poland's Ekstraklasa with Wisła Kraków, netting five times in 27 appearances in his second year. In July 2008 he signed a two-year contract with APOEL FC in the Cypriot First Division, making his official debut for his new club in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup; also in that competition, against Red Star Belgrade, he suffered a serious injury which sidelined him for almost a year.
Paulista returned to full fitness in the 2009–10 campaign, scoring twice to help APOEL to the second position. He added three appearances in that season's UEFA Champions League.
After one year still in the country, with AEK Larnaca FC, 33-year-old Paulista moved to Poland where he played mostly in the lower leagues, starting with Polonia Bytom.