Lucas Paquetá, the Brazilian midfielder who plays for West Ham, has launched a scathing attack on football authorities after being given a red card in his side's 2-0 defeat by Liverpool. In an online outburst, Paquetá claimed that he was not provided with adequate psychological support during the two-year investigation into spot-fixing allegations that stalled his proposed £70m move to Manchester City.
Paquetá's comments came after he was shown two yellow cards for dissent in quick succession, leading to his dismissal. The 28-year-old had initially apologized for his behavior on social media, saying it didn't justify his expulsion and acknowledging that he would continue to try to cope with the emotional toll of the situation.
However, Paquetá took his grievances further when responding to a post by Sky Sports Premier League, which referred to his red card as "ridiculous behaviour". In this response, Paquetá wrote in English for the first time: "It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation. Perhaps this ridiculous behaviour is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring!"
The comments from Paquetá have sparked criticism from West Ham coach Nuno Espírito Santo, who expressed frustration at being unable to comment on the situation due to his side's circumstances. "It's hard to play against a team like Liverpool with one man less," he said. "I will not go much further on comments of the situation – I hope you understand."
Paquetá's behavior has raised questions about the mental health support available to footballers, particularly those who have been through traumatic experiences such as his spot-fixing allegations. As he continues to navigate the fallout from his dismissal, it remains to be seen whether Paquetá will receive the level of psychological support that he feels is essential for his well-being.
Paquetá's comments came after he was shown two yellow cards for dissent in quick succession, leading to his dismissal. The 28-year-old had initially apologized for his behavior on social media, saying it didn't justify his expulsion and acknowledging that he would continue to try to cope with the emotional toll of the situation.
However, Paquetá took his grievances further when responding to a post by Sky Sports Premier League, which referred to his red card as "ridiculous behaviour". In this response, Paquetá wrote in English for the first time: "It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation. Perhaps this ridiculous behaviour is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring!"
The comments from Paquetá have sparked criticism from West Ham coach Nuno Espírito Santo, who expressed frustration at being unable to comment on the situation due to his side's circumstances. "It's hard to play against a team like Liverpool with one man less," he said. "I will not go much further on comments of the situation – I hope you understand."
Paquetá's behavior has raised questions about the mental health support available to footballers, particularly those who have been through traumatic experiences such as his spot-fixing allegations. As he continues to navigate the fallout from his dismissal, it remains to be seen whether Paquetá will receive the level of psychological support that he feels is essential for his well-being.
this dude is going through so much & nobody is even giving him the mental health support he needs?! 
I mean, two years of investigation and no help? That's not fair at all! 
West Ham's coach is trying to stay neutral but I feel for Nuno, his frustration is totally justified 
. And what's with the federation not providing psychological support? They're supposed to be looking out for the players' well-being, not just focusing on rules & discipline 
. Lucas needs help ASAP, this isn't fair to him or his career 
. It's clear that he's struggling with the emotional toll of being investigated and then dealt with by the authorities, especially without any support 
.
. However, I hope he gets the support he needs from his team, federation, and even individual sponsors who might be able to offer him some financial assistance 
. It's not just about Paquetá himself, but also how this can change the conversation around mental health in football 
.
this is so unfair 
paq's been through enough 
no mental health support 
70m pound move too 
what if he had a breakdown? 
would his career be over? 
hope his team & federation listen 
Still, I'm curious to see how this whole situation plays out. Will he get the support he needs, or will he be left to deal with his demons on his own? 
And now he's saying that the federation didn't provide him with any help after being accused of spot-fixing? That's a pretty big deal 
. It feels like all these footballers are just getting more and more stressed out without anyone really helping them 
And what about the £70m move that got stalled due to all this drama? That's a lot of money lost 
u gotta wonder what it's like 2 b in his shoes, dealin w/ all that emotional drama 
I feel so bad for this guy, Paquetá's just trying to express how messed up things are for him and we're all just standing here watching and cringing 
. He's right though, two years without any psychological support is mental 
. We should be supporting Paquetá in getting the help he needs rather than criticizing him for speaking out 
.
. I guess what it says to me is that football authorities aren't exactly equipped to handle these kinds of things. They're just kinda... winging it, you know?