One of Middlesbrough’s past idols has come back into focus this week, after a detailed account of how his move to England came about – and why he perhaps should never have left.

Juninho Paulista, who became one of the club’s most recognisable names during the late 1990s and early 2000s, had a significant impact across multiple spells at the Riverside.

In total, he made 150 appearances for Middlesbrough, scoring 34 goals and providing 18 assists. He moved to the club on three separate occasions, underlining both his importance and the relationship built with the team and the fans.

Notably, he was also part of the squad that won the League Cup in 2004 during his second spell, one of the club’s most important modern achievements.

His comments now provide fresh insight into Middlesbrough’s recruitment strategy at the time, as well as the impact he made after arriving.

According to the player, the move can be traced back to an international tournament in 1995, when he first caught the attention of English football, while playing at Brazilian side São Paulo.

“We played the Umbro Cup in England. It was Brazil, England, Sweden and Japan. We became champions and...