PETALING JAYA: Former national football team striker Guilherme de Paula (pic) has found a new goal after hanging up his boots.
The 39-year-old naturalised Malaysian is focused on a different kind of hustle – building trade bridges between Brazil and Malaysia, with coffee leading the charge.
Coffee, he explained, is a natural starting point given Brazil’s standing as one of the world’s top producers.
“Football gave me an incredible career, but over time I developed a strong interest in business and international trade, particularly between Brazil and Malaysia,” said De Paula who earned 13 caps with Malaysia from 2020 to 2022.
“The discipline, commitment and relationships I built through football helped me make that transition to the coffee business. Today, I am focused on developing business opportunities that connect both countries.”
De Paula recently had the chance to present his coffee personally to Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, an encounter he described as meaningful.
“I was honoured to receive positive feedback,” he said, adding that the long-term goal is a two-way trade platform benefiting both Brazilian and Malaysian products, with markets like Singapore, China, Vietnam and the Gulf region also in his sights.
Reflecting on his playing days, De Paula, who played for Selangor, Police, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Johor Darul Ta’zim and Melaka, said he carries no regrets.
“Malaysia is a great country with incredible people, opportunities and a culture that I have come to deeply respect and appreciate,” he said.
“I am grateful for everything I achieved in football and excited about this new chapter of my life.” As for a return to the game in a coaching or advisory capacity, De Paula is not ruling it out entirely.
“I’m not actively pursuing a return to football right now, whether as a coach, agent or sporting director. However, I would never completely close the door,” he said.
On the state of Malaysian football, De Paula said while Malaysia had the quality facilities, professional management and a winning culture to rival top clubs abroad, they have some work to do to catch up with Thailand and Vietnam.
“From my experience, the Malaysian league was once more competitive from top to bottom. That level of competition helped raise the standard of players and made the league very exciting,” he said.
“Today, apart from major finals and some big rivalries, we do not see the same level of attendance and excitement on a consistent basis.”
He added that the solution lies in continued investment in professional infrastructure paired with a renewed push for local talent development.
“If that happens, I believe Malaysian football can once again become one of the strongest football nations in South-East Asia,” he said.
