It took a few matches, and a bit of noise from the Brazilian press, but Lucas Paquetá has now scored his first goal since leaving West Ham United.
As reported in Brazil, the midfielder scored his first goal since leaving the London Stadium, doing so in a heavyweight clash for Flamengo against Botafogo. The 2-1 win booked a place in the semi-finals of the State Championship, but the main storyline in Brazil centred on Paquetá finally showing what he came for.
It was his fifth match since returning from West Ham. His first few games had not gone smoothly. Local reports suggested he looked slightly off the pace and struggled to impose himself. There was visible criticism from local pundits, especially given the scale of his return.
After all, Flamengo paid £36.1m (€42m) to re-sign him, making it the most expensive transfer in Brazilian football history. That price tag ensured scrutiny from day one.
A local pundit, Neto, called him “a third-tier player, just a TikTok sensation”. Live on TV, he even took a jab at West Ham: “He has 137 games and 23 goals for West Ham, a tiny, insignificant club that nobody knows, in three years. Are you crazy? Paquetá is a mediocre player and isn’t worth half of that.”
However, the first response came quickly.
With 18 minutes played at the derby on Sunday, Paquetá controlled the ball in the edge of the box, and struck a composed left-footed finish into the bottom corner. Former Bournemouth keeper Neto had no chance. It was a clean, technical strike – very much the type of goal West Ham supporters remember from his Premier League spell.
The celebration followed immediately. A kiss to the badge. Then the familiar dance in front of the away end. It was part relief, part statement.
Botafogo equalised early in the second half, but Flamengo regained control late on. Paquetá’s opener had already shifted the momentum and quietened any doubts about his sharpness.
For West Ham, watching from afar, it was a reminder of the quality they once relied upon in big moments. In a derby atmosphere, under pressure, Paquetá delivered again.