Goalkeeper Lucas Perri, a former Botafogo player and called up for the first time to the Brazilian national team by Fernando Diniz in 2023, started the 2024/25 season as a starter at Lyon and has been standing out for the French club.
After contributing to the campaign that resulted in a runner-up finish in the French Cup in the first half of this year, Perri has taken over as the starting goalkeeper for the French team. Thus, the former Botafogo player aims to wear the yellow jersey again through his success in Europe.
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Lucas Perri aims for the Brazilian National Team
In 2023, Perri stood out in Botafogo’s campaign, which led for most of the Brazilian Championship. Thanks to his excellent performance, the 26-year-old goalkeeper received three call-ups from coach Fernando Diniz, who was then the interim coach of the Brazilian national team, for matches in the South American qualifiers.
“Being called up is a consequence of good work at the club. I am focused on Lyon, on doing a good job, and the national team will come as a consequence of what I can achieve,” said the goalkeeper in an exclusive interview with GE.
To return to the national team, Lucas Perri needs to excel at Lyon and secure his spot in coach Dorival Júnior’s team. Currently, the French club is going through a tough time, without victories in Ligue 1 so far. This Friday, Lyon will seek their first points in the competition by facing Strasbourg at home.
Good phase at Lyon
Taking on the task of replacing Anthony Lopes, the Portuguese captain who held the position for 11 years, Lucas Perri feels prepared for the challenge. After joining the French club in January 2024, in the middle of the 2023/24 season, Perri played exclusively in the French Cup matches. However, he believes that this period was crucial for his development in European football.
“It was a very positive experience for me. I arrived in January and was able to adapt smoothly to the language, the football, and the climate. I’m happy to have had this time to adjust. Now, I feel ready to deliver great performances. The idea was really to give myself this adaptation period so that I would feel good and could then compete for a starting spot. Now, I’m giving everything to solidify my position,” said Perri in a press conference.
