Seven years have passed since he left, leaving millions of Flamengo fans longing for more. But the 'homegrown talent' promised to one day return to bring joy to the Nation. Their paths crossed in Europe, passing through Italy, France, and arriving in England, but his heart never left the Nest (Flamengo's training center). And the long-awaited day has arrived! Lucas Paquetá is back at Flamengo to continue writing his story with the Sacred Mantle (Flamengo's jersey). Today, at 28 years old, the midfielder returns not as a promise, but as a reality. The star will wear the number 20 jersey, the same number worn by Vini Jr. when they played together at Flamengo.

With a contract until December 2030, Paquetá arrives to bring that touch of quality and experience to the team's attacking sector, and can be registered for all competitions that Flamengo will play in this year: Carioca Championship, Brazilian Super Cup, South American Recopa, Brazilian Championship, Libertadores Cup and Brazilian Cup. 

It was at Ninho do Urubu (Flamengo's training center) that his talent blossomed and caught everyone's attention. That boy, only 18 years old, still in the youth categories, already showed that he was a different kind of midfielder, daring, creative, and above all, with a Flamengo soul. He was a starter and wore the number 11 shirt for the team that won the 2016 São Paulo Junior Football Cup, being the team's second-highest scorer in the competition. In the same year, he was promoted to the professional squad and played some games in the Carioca Championship. 

The following year, especially after the arrival of coach Reinaldo Rueda, Paquetá established himself in the starting lineup and scored goals in both finals played: in the Copa do Brasil final, in a 1-1 draw at the Maracanã, and in the Copa Sudamericana final, in another 1-1 draw against Independiente, also at the Maracanã, being named the best player on the field. 

In 2018, Paquetá took over the number 11 shirt at Flamengo after Mancuello's departure and began the season as one of the team's key players in the first half of the year, being chosen as the best left midfielder in the Carioca Championship, in addition to finishing the year as Flamengo's top scorer in the Brazilian Championship. 

His impressive performances in the Flamengo jersey, especially towards the end of the Brazilian Championship, caught the attention of European football. And in October 2018, Milan beat out the competition and signed the Rossoneri revelation for around 35 million euros. In Italy, Paquetá wore the Rossoneri shirt in the 2019-20 season and then transferred to Lyon, in France.

His last club in Europe was West Ham in England, where he played since 2022. At the London club, the midfielder rediscovered his good form and was one of the key players in the team that won the 2022-23 Conference League. In the Brazilian national team, he is a regular in the squad, having won the 2019 Copa América and been called up for the 2022 World Cup.

Now, a new chapter will be written wearing the jersey, which he knows so well and understands how much it represents. Be happy, kid! The Nation welcomes you with open arms so you can showcase all your talent on Brazilian and South American pitches, with many goals, assists and, of course, lots of dancing!

Technical sheet

Full name: Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima (Lucas Paquetá)
Date of birth: 27/08/1997 (28 years old)
Place of Birth: Rio de Janeiro
Position: Midfielder
Career clubs: Flamengo (2016-18), Milan (2019-20), Lyon (2020-22) and West Ham (2022-26).