MAGALIESBURG, South Africa, June 18 (Reuters) - From stacking shelves at a supermarket in Brazil to playing for Portugal at the World Cup in South Africa, lean striker Liedson’s decade-long unique journey has been based on racking up goals everywhere he goes.

Just over ten years ago Liedson was playing football to relax from his routine job in a supermarket when he was discovered by a businessman who invited him to join his office team in Brazil’s Bahia state.

Proving himself no lightweight when cashing in goals, the striker’s rise was swift, going from small clubs to Flamengo, Corinthians and then a move to Portugal’s Sporting in 2003.

Known as the “Light One” at Sporting for his lean and wiry Liedson is a natural poacher who ties tireless chasing, the ability to lose markers and a deft technical touch to “resolve” games by scoring goals, as the club’s fans say constantly.

Those attritubes have helped him scored 160 goals in seven seasons at the Portuguese club.

“I have to run, as I am skinny and that gives me a disadvantage in terms of physical contact, so I have to escape my marker and search for space,” he told reporters on Friday.

When Portugal were struggling to find the net in the early World Cup qualifiers last year, coach Queiroz opted to call Liedson, who had just obtained Portuguese citizenship, to resolve the problem.

The 32 year-old weighed in with a goal on his debut against Denmark, salvaging a 1-1 draw that proved to be vital, and then added another two to help the side produce a late surge.

He has gone quiet since, but could be seen chasing the Ivory Coast defenders in Portugal’s cautious 0-0 draw on Tuesday and carving himself out a chance from nowhere.

“Goals will come naturally,” Liedson said, adding that he hopes that will happen in Portugal’s next match, against North Korean on Monday.