FA consider lifetime ban for West Ham ace Lucas Paqueta amid spot-fixing allegations: Reports

According to a report from Sun Sport, West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta could be hit with a lifetime ban from football. The Brazilian has been charged with four counts of spot-fixing and could be barred by the English FA for life.

The midfielder allegedly got booked intentionally in four Premier League games to aid his friends’ bets with bookmakers. The report suggests one of the bets cost his friend as little as £7.

The player’s conduct was first questioned by the bookmaker Betway and eventually resulted in an investigation by the FA. The Brazilian’s actions were put under the microscope in 2023 and a hearing will be held later this year.

Lucas Paqueta and his lawyers are yet to respond to the charges leveled against him. West Ham will hope the hearing goes favorably for the midfielder, who is one of the key members of their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.

A look at Lucas Paqueta's career ahead of potential FA ban

Ahead of his potential lifetime ban from English football for spot-fixing, Lucas Paqueta has had a successful career in the game. The 26-year-old midfielder has thrived across two continents and his potential lifetime ban could see the game miss out on a talented player following his alleged crimes.

Paqueta began his career in Flamengo in 2016 and went on to make 95 appearances for the side, scoring 18 goals before departing in 2019. He then moved to Italian giants AC Milan where he made 44 appearances and got a solitary goal in his single year in Lombardy.

A move to sleeping French giants Olympique Lyon followed in 2020 and he played 80 games for the Ligue 1 outfit, bagging 21 goals in the process. His performances in France earned him a move to East London in 2022. With West Ham, he has scored 13 goals in 84 appearances.

The Brazilian is a full international as well, making 44 appearances and scoring 10 times for his nation.