Lucas Paqueta accused of purposely getting yellow card 'as birthday present for his brother' in betting scandal enquiry bombshell

Evidence submitted to a parliamentary enquiry in Brazil claims Paqueta told whistleblower Bruno Lopez that he planned on getting booked in a match against Aston Villa on March 12 as a "birthday present" for his brother, Matheus, O Globo reports. He went on to receive a yellow card for a foul on John McGinn.

The report, which was prepared by former Brazil star and current senator Romario, cites WhatsApp messages between Bruno Lopez and a bettor named Marlon Nascimento da Silva mentioning the plan. Investigators also found that Matheus Paqueta is close to Marlon and followed him on social media. The document goes on to say that Marlon received around £13,000 across five bank transactions from Paqueta's uncle.

The file on the 27-year-old was submitted as part of an investigation into gambling in football. Despite the allegations, the commission has not called for Paqueta to face punishment in his homeland. However, he faces severe repercussions from the Football Association (FA) over four suspicious yellow cards - in games against Leicester in 2022 and Leeds, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth in 2023. Paqueta has insisted he is innocent amid the ongoing investigation and will face an FA hearing in March.

If found guilty of the charges Paqueta could be hit with a lifetime ban from football. The Brazil international has remained a key figure for West Ham as the investigation goes on, scoring five goals in 25 appearances this season.

Paqueta missed West Ham's last game with a hip injury but could be back in the squad for the clash against Brentford on Saturday. It remains to be seen how much longer the club will have him at their disposal, although they are confident he will be available for most of 2024-25.