Why American fans should care about the 2025 Club World Cup

As USMNT boss, Pochettino opens doors for Latino players, fans

Vinícius Júnior’s imperfect conception

The best players, coaches & teams of the 21st century - ranked

The 25 best USMNT players of the 21st century - ranked

CR7 sends emotional message as Portugal co-host World Cup

Man City's FFP blow: PL could be encouraged by UEFA revelation

Oscar bids farewell to China after netting extraordinary sum

Ronaldo & Al-Nassr stars gifted BMW XM cars worth €155k

CR7 back in EPL? Club backed to make gamble

'Supporting him is not good for your health!' - Nunez torn apart

Man Utd urged to sign USMNT star capable of 'transforming' team 

City savaged after Haaland & three other players miss penalties with NO 'keeper

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="footballco-bet-betsense">{"type":"footballco-bet-betsense","data":{}}</script><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_d6e1e5da-7d9a-43d5-97e1-f4350a3cd7e3"}}</script><ul><li>Paqueta under scrutiny for alleged spot-fixing</li><li>Reports claim he could face a lifetime ban</li><li>Midfielder insists that he is innocent</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Lucas Paqueta issues angry statement on gambling investigation as West Ham star hits out at 'misleading leaks'

Premier League

Bournemouth

West Ham

<p>The Brazilian international, 26, is accused of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/lucas-paqueta-issues-furious-response-hit-fa-charge-breaching-betting-rules-leaves-man-city-move-danger-collapse/blt5eacc89153dd4ee1" target="_blank">intentionally receiving yellow cards in four Premier League fixtures, </a>including matches against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth. If these allegations are proven, Paqueta could face severe disciplinary actions, including a lifetime ban from professional football by the Football Association (FA).</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>There were reports in the media which claimed that Paqueta had been summoned to a hearing later this month regarding the charges, further intensifying scrutiny around his involvement. In addition to the match-fixing accusations, he faces charges for <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/lucas-paqueta-learns-date-spot-fixing-hearing-could-see-lifetime-ban/blt0a6ee69dd49ee3a6#cs1c0df8e124862ec1" target="_blank">alleged non-compliance with the ongoing </a>FA investigation on two counts.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>In response to the media reports, Paqueta took to social media to issue a strong statement, expressing his frustration and denying the accusations.</p><p>He wrote: "I am frustrated and upset to have read recent misleading and inaccurate press articles, published in both England and Brazil, claiming to disclose information about my case. Some of that information is entirely false and appears designed to undermine my position. I am also concerned that, although they are false and misleading, these articles are clearly sourced from an individual close to the case.</p><p>"The FA proceedings are supposed to be confidential, and they are extremely serious for me and my family. The continued leaking and publication of inaccurate information in the press is now putting at risk my chance of receiving a fair hearing, I have, therefore, instructed my lawyers to write to The FA to request that they conduct a thorough investigation into how information about the case, even if inaccurate, is finding its way into the public domain. I continue to deny the charges against me and look forward to demonstrating my innocence.“</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBOpmlNCsOU/" data-instgrm-version="13" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
  <div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBOpmlNCsOU/" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">
      <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
        <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
        <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
      <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
          <g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
            <g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000">
              <g>
                <path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path>
              </g>
            </g>
          </g>
        </svg></div>
      <div style="padding-top: 8px;">
        <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div>
      </div>
      <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
      <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
        <div>
          <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div>
          <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
          <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div>
        </div>
        <div style="margin-left: 8px;">
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
          <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div>
        </div>
        <div style="margin-left: auto;">
          <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div>
          <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div>
          <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
        <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
        <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
      </div>
    </a>
  </div>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p></p>

WHAT PAQUETA SAID

<p>The FA first launched its investigation into Paqueta's alleged involvement in match-fixing during the summer of 2023. West Ham United, however, is considering <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/west-ham-fa-to-court-lucas-paqueta-spot-fixing/bltea56348e108794d4" target="_blank">taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)</a> in Lausanne, Switzerland, if necessary. The Hammers have expressed concerns about the severity of the potential punishment, questioning the fairness of a lifetime ban as they believe that such a harsh penalty would be unreasonable.</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>Despite the ongoing investigation, Paqueta remains eligible to continue playing for West Ham United until the FA's disciplinary process concludes. The Brazilian midfielder is expected to return to action in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur in an upcoming fixture on Saturday. </p>

WHAT NEXT FOR PAQUETA?

Lucas Paqueta issues angry statement on gambling investigation as West Ham star hits out at 'misleading leaks' | Goal.com US

Lucas Paqueta has hit out at &quot;misleading leaks&quot; on the ongoing gambling investigation in an angry statement on social media.