Game Changers: Paulinho, Toluca's talisman in Champions Cup

Toluca's striker sits atop the tournament’s scoring chart with eight goals.

MIAMI – The 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals saw Deportivo Toluca FC advance to the Final, with Game-Changer Paulinho continuing to shine as one of the stars of the tournament.

The Portuguese striker kept his great form adding two goals to his tally in the semifinals. After being held off the scoresheet in a 2-1 first leg loss to Los Angeles FC, Paulinho erupted in the return leg in Mexico, delivering a decisive late brace to seal a 4-0 victory.

His goals in the 90’+1’ and 90’+4’ made history, as he became the first player in tournament history to score twice in second-half stoppage time of a semifinal match.

The Toluca striker has been a talisman throughout the competition. In the Round of 16, he scored the series-winning goal, in the 56’ of the second leg, to help the Mexican side complete a comeback against San Diego FC, to win 6-3 on aggregate. He then delivered five goals, three in the first leg and two in the second, as Toluca defeated LA Galaxy, 7–2 on aggregate, in the Quarterfinals.

Paulinho now sits atop the tournament’s scoring chart with eight goals, putting him firmly in control of the race for the Top Scorer Award. He is also climbing Toluca’s all-time scoring ranks in the competition, moving within two goals of club standouts Raúl Nava (10) and Héctor Mancilla (9).

Toluca returns to the Champions Cup Final for the first time since finishing as runners-up in 2013/14. With momentum on their side, Los Diablos Rojos will once again look to their in-form striker to deliver a third title.