How a 150 cm midfielder rose to become a £50m star
In short: At age 15, Lucas Paquetá lacked the physicality of his peers, standing only 5 feet tall. Yet, the Brazilian attacking midfielder overcame these early limitations to become a multi-million pound asset for Europe's elite clubs and a vital component of the Brazil national team.
Paquetá's journey began in 2007 at Flamengo, where he was identified for his technical skill despite his small stature. By age 18, he had grown 27 centimetres, helping him transition to professional football. His early success included winning the 2016 Copa São Paulo de Júniores, leading to his promotion to Flamengo's senior team in March 2016.
His talent earned him a move to AC Milan in 2019, where he played for two seasons. Following his time in Italy, he joined Lyon in 2020 for €20 million. While playing in France, he earned major acclaim, securing the first-ever Best Foreign Player of the Season award for 2021–22 and earning a spot in the 2020–21 UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
In 2022, West Ham United signed him for a fee estimated by the BBC to be over £50 million. During his debut season, he won the UEFA Europa Conference League and was named to that tournament's Team of the Season. His career has not been without controversy; in 2023, he faced investigations regarding potential betting rule breaches, though a regulatory commission cleared him of these charges in July 2025, finding them 'not proven'.
On the international stage, Paquetá has been a mainstay for Brazil, winning the 2019 Copa América and scoring in the 2022 FIFA World Cup round of 16 against South Korea. His career has seen him move from the streets of Paquetá Island to the highest levels of global football.
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