Lucas Paquetá

Paqueta Cleared to Play for Brazil

|
Image for Paqueta Cleared to Play for Brazil

West Ham United‘s Brazilian midfielder, Lucas Paqueta, will be available to play for his national team in the upcoming Copa America despite facing charges from the English Football Association (FA) for alleged breaches of betting rules, according to a statement released by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Thursday.

The CBF made this decision after discussions with the English FA. They are allowing Paqueta to remain in Dorival Junior’s Copa America squad, which is currently preparing for friendlies against Mexico and the United States before the continental tournament kicks off on June 20th.

The CBF, backed by its legal and integrity departments, justifies its decision by highlighting several key points. Firstly, Paqueta hasn’t been sanctioned by the FA yet. Secondly, he has until June 3rd to respond to the charges. Most importantly, the CBF believes Paqueta has the right to continue his professional career unrestricted until a potential punishment is issued.

Paqueta has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in relation to the accusations. The FA charged the 26-year-old with deliberately getting himself booked during four Premier League matches between 2022 and 2023. These charges stem from suspicious betting patterns observed around those bookings.

Share this article