Over the years, West Ham United fans have always had a soft spot for the mavericks, players who bring flair, imagination and a touch of chaos to the game.
In the 2000s it was Paolo Di Canio, in the 2010s Dimitri Payet, and in the 2020s, you could certainly make a case for our current No10, Lucas Paquetá.
Since arriving from Olympique Lyonnais in the summer of 2022, Paquetá has become one of the Premier League’s most creative South American imports. Against Brentford in October, he joined a select group of Brazilian players to reach 100 appearances in the best league in the world.
Reflecting on the milestone, he said: “When I was younger, players on the list of Brazilian Premier League players were guys who I looked up to. To be part of this group of Brazilian players to have reached 100 Premier League appearances is very humbling.”
100 @PremierLeague appearances for Lucas 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/CR2jLiOSS6
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 22, 2025
While this season has largely been a difficult one for West Ham so far, Paquetá’s goalscoring return has remained solid, opening his account for the campaign by scoring in four of his first five games for Club and country.
His early-season form served a reminder of his ability to influence games at the highest level, just as he did on that night in Prague, when his perfectly-weighted pass sent Jarrod Bowen through to score the winning goal in stoppage time and clinch our first major trophy in 43 years, the UEFA Europa Conference League.
“I think it was one of the best starts to a season of my career in terms of numbers,” Paquetá said, reflecting on his early-season numbers. “I scored in four consecutive games for Club and country and I was very motivated, very happy.
“I’m still trying to get back to that scoring consistency, to continue helping the team with goals and assists. But I don’t put too much pressure on myself, because I know I can help the team in many other ways. I know that the fans expect me to score a lot of goals and provide assists, but I see the game in a different way too, and I think I add a lot in other areas of the game.
“But, of course, the happiest moment in football is scoring goals and providing assists. And I’m working hard so that I can continue scoring and have a season with good numbers.”