Professional debut at 18
So certainly, in current football, such precocity no longer impresses.
Especially in Brazil where the players, and the nicknames nuggets, appear as young as they quickly disappear.
Nevertheless, Paqueta - real name Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima - seemed to have sufficient time to avoid the fatal, and short, fate of some of his compatriots.
Arrived within Flamengo at the age of 10, the Carioca with the velvet left paw in the midfield was quick to seduce the fans of the Brazilian club.
To the point of making his debut with the first team at 18, on March 5, 2016. And it was not long before he scored his first goal, on February 19, 2017 against Madureira.
A precocity which pushes the leaders of Flamengo to make him sign a first contract until 2020, with a release clause of 50 million euros ...
He almost joined PSG in 2018
Performances which, inevitably, do not go unnoticed in Europe where the player does not lack courtiers during the summer of 2018. Among these is the Paris SG which, already at the time and still today, is looking for a rare pearl in the middle of the field.
Even if Paqueta's more attacking profile does not seem to be the most adequate, the Parisian leaders are courting their Flamengo counterparts before dropping the deal, like those of Barcelona, also very interested.
The cause ?
Possibly the desire of the Brazilian club to keep it until the end of the Auriverde championship in January 2019. AC Milan, it does not ask so many questions and wins the bet for 35 million euros and some bonuses.
He scored only one goal in Milan
Unfortunately for the Lombard club, this recruitment will hardly keep its promises.
If his first months in the red and black jersey were encouraging, with twelve tenures, Paqueta did not really succeed in winning in a squad where midfielders are not lacking with Bennacer, Calhanoglu, Bonaventura or even Kessie.
As a result, his time does not take off despite playing a full season and his record remains starved, with only one goal scored shortly after his arrival on February 10, 2019 against Cagliari.
To which is added a single decisive pass.
Far too little for a player presented by some in Brazil as a Kaka 2.0.
No wonder, therefore, that AC Milan "sold off" for 20 million euros in Lyon, despite his young age (23 years).
He almost played in the 2018 World Cup
Shining in the Brazilian under-20 selection, Paqueta had caught the eye of the A Tite coach, so much so that he had included him in his expanded list for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
However, his lack of international experience and competition would prove fatal for him, who will have to wait a few more months before officially donning the jersey of the Auriverde selection, on September 8, 2018 against the United States.
Since then, his difficulties at AC Milan have not helped him win there but he still has 11 caps, for two goals scored, against South Korea and Panama in friendly matches.
That is to say the double of achievements than those registered with Milan ...
He grew up suddenly and is hot blooded
If today Paqueta has a size totally in line with modern football with his 1.80m for 73 kilos, this has not always been the case.
At 15, the Flamengo midfielder only measured a small 52 meter, which could have slowed down his outbreak at the highest level.
Fortunately for him, his growth accelerated and by 18 he had grown 28 centimeters to his current height.
Another characteristic concerning him, the Brazilian is hot-blooded.
Very hot even.
This played tricks on him in Milan in his first season, with an expulsion against Bologna and three suspension matches for a too vehement dispute with the referee, whom he had even touched.
And Paqueta did not hesitate to respond to his coach Marco Giampaolo in Milan either.
Rudi Garcia is therefore warned of what awaits him ...
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