It only took a single glimpse of João Paulo to pique Chris Henderson’s interest. A video clip of the midfielder had been sent to the Sounders sporting director by a Brazilian agent who knew Seattle was in the market for a ball-winning No. 6.



Paulo’s skill set checked off a lot of desired boxes: strong in possession, clean passing, good vision. But none of that is what first caught Henderson’s eye — that was the captain’s armband pulled snuggly around 28-year-old Paulo’s bicep.



Botafogo isn’t quite as prominent a club as it once was, but it’s still a big team. With the longest unbeaten streak in Brazilian soccer history — 52 consecutive matches, set in the late ’70s — there’s a reason why Botafogo is nicknamed The Glorious One. To have been designated captain of that significant an institution is no small feat.



“As soon as I saw that,” Henderson said, “I’m...