Lucas Paquetá, the midfielder for West Ham and called up to defend the Brazilian National Team in the Copa América – which takes place this month, is facing a delicate moment in his career.
Accused by the FA (English Football Association) of alleged involvement in a betting scheme, Paquetá may be banned from football. But who is Lucas and what is the origin of his nickname?
What happened?
- The player was accused by the FA of participating in a sports betting scheme in four Premier League matches – Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Bournemouth;
- However, Lucas denies the accusations of involvement and has offered to assist in the investigations;
- According to the British newspaper “The Sun”, all these bets would have been made from Paquetá Island, the place where the midfielder was born and spent almost all his childhood.
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Lucas’ relationship with Paquetá Island
The nickname “Paquetá” is not a traditional surname, but a reference to his homeland. Lucas was born on Paquetá Island, a small island in Guanabara Bay, with around 4,000 inhabitants, located approximately 45 minutes by ferry from Rio de Janeiro.
During his adolescence, the player worked as a tour guide on the island, showing visitors the main tourist spots and sharing the local stories.
To train at Flamengo, Lucas had to wake up early and face a daily ferry crossing to Rio de Janeiro. His older brother, Matheus, who also followed a professional football career, trained at Flamengo, but at different times. Due to the distance between Paquetá and Rio de Janeiro, the brothers spent the whole day together, returning home only at the end of the day.
Extremely serious accusations
The West Ham midfielder was reported by the FA suspected of deliberately receiving yellow cards in four Premier League games so that teammates could profit from bets. However, Lucas Paquetá declares himself innocent and denies any involvement in irregularities.
The investigation began after a complaint related to the yellow card received by Paquetá in the game against Aston Villa. In the 24th minute of the second half, the player made a tough foul on John McGinn, Aston Villa’s midfielder, during the 27th round of the 2022/23 Premier League.
Lucas Paquetá spoke out
“I am extremely surprised and saddened that the FA has decided to accuse me. I have cooperated with all stages of the investigation and provided all the information I could during these nine months. I deny the accusations in full and will fight with all my strength to clear my name. Due to the ongoing process, I will not provide any further comments.”
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.
