West Ham United have already completed the signing of Brazilian center-back Fabrício Bruno, a Flamengo player. According to Fabrizio Romano, all the documents to finalize the operation would already be signed, so only the announcement revealing him as the new reinforcement of the London club is missing.
Once his transfer is confirmed, Fabrício Bruno will enter the select group of Brazilian players who have passed through West Ham, as there have been very few throughout their history. If he makes his debut in the upcoming season, he would become only the fifth Brazilian to play with the Hammers.
Who are the other four? Today at Sambafoot we delve into the subject.
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How many Brazilians have played for West Ham United?
In total, West Ham United have had six Brazilian players in the first team squad throughout their history. However, only four of them managed to make their debut in an official match or in the Premier League.
Also, a Brazilian gem is playing in the club’s youth categories, who could one day join this list that will very soon include the former Flamengo defender, Fabrício Bruno.
Lucas Paquetá
The first is also the most famous and recognized of all: Lucas Paquetá. The attacking midfielder, currently involved in a legal problem for an alleged involvement in the world of betting, arrived at West Ham in 2022 from Olympique de Lyon.
He has won a continental title with West Ham, the UEFA Conference League, and, if he is acquitted of the charges, he is set to make the leap to an elite club in the near future.
Felipe Anderson
Another player with a past at West Ham United is the brand-new Palmeiras signing, Felipe Anderson. The Brazilian arrived from Lazio in 2018 for €38 million, and his performance in the English capital was up and down.
He left the club in 2021, returning to Lazio for just €3 million, and now in 2024 he will return to his native Brazil to play for Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras. He scored 12 goals in 73 games with West Ham United.
Nenê
In February 2015, West Ham United signed free agent Nenê, an attacking midfielder who was left without a club after leaving Qatari club Al-Gharafa at the end of 2014. The player signed a contract of less than six months with the Hammers and barely played eight games, in which he never managed to score.
Ilan
The first Brazilian in history to debut in the Premier League with West Ham United, Ilan Araujo, arrived for free at the club in February 2010 and signed a brief contract with the Hammers that culminated just six months later.
He made his debut on February 6 in the Premier League against Burnley, a match in which he scored one of his four goals with the claret and blue shirt.
Those who didn’t debut
In the current West Ham United Youth squad, there is a Brazilian player named Luizão, a promising 22-year-old, 1.87m tall central defender who continues to develop in the club’s Under-21 category. However, he has not yet been able to make his debut with the first team. In the near future, this could change.
In case he does not debut, Luizão would have the same fate as another Brazilian gem who passed through the Hammer youth academy, Bernardo Rosa, who left the club in 2022 to sign for Czech club Pardubice after never being able to debut with the first team.
Another Brazilian who arrived at the club and never managed to debut was the veteran striker Wellington Paulista. The striker arrived on loan in January 2013 from Cruzeiro and never had the opportunity to debut, returning to the Brazilian club after the end of his loan.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Watch the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
