The FA's Baffling Decision: How Lucas Paquetá's Career Was Derailed by a Controversial Ruling

The Curious Case of Lucas Paquetá

As someone who’s spent years analyzing football data and tactics, few cases frustrate me more than Lucas Paquetá’s treatment by the English FA. Here was Brazil’s sole world-class attacking midfielder - a creative force who could unlock defenses with his vision and technique - effectively sidelined by a decision that still baffles me years later.

A Career Derailed

The numbers told a clear story: Paquetá was hitting his prime when the FA’s ruling came down. His xG (expected goals) and key passes per 90 were among Europe’s elite. Then came the suspension, the endless appeals process, and suddenly one of football’s brightest talents saw his form evaporate like morning mist at St. George’s Park.

The Compensation Farce

£1 million in compensation? For potentially ending a player’s peak years? That’s not just inadequate - it’s insulting. To put it in perspective, that’s roughly what Premier League clubs spend on signing bonuses for academy graduates these days. The message it sends about player welfare is troubling, to say the least.

Brazil’s Tactical Fallout

The ripple effects extended to international football too. With Paquetá effectively out of contention, Brazil had to reinvent their midfield. Watching Matheus Cunha - naturally more of a second striker - being shoehorned into the number 10 role was like seeing someone try to use a screwdriver as a hammer. It worked… sort of… but you couldn’t help but wonder what might have been.

What We’ve Lost

As analysts, we talk a lot about ‘opportunity cost.’ In this case, we’ll never know how many magical moments, how many defense-splitting passes, how many last-minute winners football lost because of this saga. And that, more than anything else, is why cases like Paquetá’s should give everyone in football administration pause for thought.