Lucas Paqueta spent 'two years in hell' and 'struggled' mentally with betting investigation as West Ham star set to consider legal action against FA

It was revealed in August 2023 that the Brazil international was the subject of a probe regarding supposedly deliberate yellow cards that he picked up during Premier League appearances. A guilty verdict would have seen the South American banned for life.

Paqueta’s wife has described the last two years as "living a nightmare", but an eight-week trial into alleged spot-fixing has led to the 27-year-old being cleared. Any questions of his professional integrity have been removed.

Paqueta posted on social media in the wake of a verdict being delivered: "The enemy will come against us one way, but they will flee seven ways. Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations. I can’t say anything more now, but I also can’t express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.

"To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham, to the fans who always cheered me on, to Fernando Malta and my legal team at Level (Alastair Campbell, Jonathan Hyman, Dan Lowen), Nick De Marco KC, and Kendrah Potts - thank you for everything."

Paqueta has been found guilty on two counts of obstructing the FA’s investigation, which will likely result in a fine, but the most serious of sanctions have been avoided. A weight has been lifted from the midfielder’s shoulders.

The Daily Mail reports that Paqueta put on a brave face throughout a testing period in his career, but "he was struggling to bear the burden of what sources called a taxing ordeal". It is claimed that "behind that mask, Paqueta was struggling" as he experienced "good days and bad days".

West Ham will not be suing the Football Association for funds missed out on in a potential sale, but Paqueta is said to still be mulling over his options when it comes to legal action. A move could happen in the current transfer window, with the Hammers open to offers for a player that they signed from Lyon for £51 million ($67m) in 2022.