A smiling face arrived at West Ham United’s training base in Tampa on Wednesday in the shape of Lucas Paquetá.
The Brazilian midfielder returned to Hammers duty after enjoying a welcome break following his impressive appearances for Brazil at the 2024 Copa América, and was welcomed to the team hotel by his smiling teammates.
Paquetá played 51 times for Club and country in 2023/24, scoring ten goals, assisting eight and making an impact in virtually every game he played as West Ham finished ninth in the Premier League and reached the quarter-finals of both the UEFA Europa League and EFL Cup.
The final four of those appearances came for Brazil at the Copa América, which was also held in the United States. There, the 26-year-old scored and assisted in a group-stage win over Paraguay, but then suffered the frustration of having been substituted before Brazil were eliminated by Uruguay in the quarter-finals 4-2 on penalties – exactly the same scoreline and stage at which Croatia had knocked them out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Posting on Instagram three days after that defeat, Paquetá vowed to come back strongly from the defeat, which can only bode well for the Hammers.
“After a few days of reflecting on everything, the feeling of sadness still haunts my day and night!” he wrote. “Another elimination on penalties... I confess that sometimes I question God as to why I go through moments like this! But then I remember that nothing in my life has come easy, I have always had to fight hard to achieve what I have achieved, no one has given me anything, and it would be no different now…
“I have had to get up and fight many, many times. And with the strength of God, my family and all of you who support me, it has always been possible! And so it will be again! Brazil will smile again and we athletes are part of that! We will fight and reach the top again, TOGETHER!”
Paquetá, who spent time with friends and family during his three weeks off, will now start his own pre-season schedule ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League kick-off at home to Aston Villa on Saturday 17 August.
