Lucas Paquetá showed his qualities throughout the year

Paquetá included in Brazil squad for March internationals

Lucas Paquetá has been included in the Brazil squad for March international matches with England and Spain.

The West Ham United midfielder is set to add to his 42 senior caps when Brazil play two high-profile friendly games at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday 23 March and the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on Tuesday 26 March.

Paquetá returns to the squad after missing his country’s six opening 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which were played in the three international windows in late 2023.

The 26-year-old scored on his most-recent appearance for Brazil in a friendly against Senegal in June last year and has netted nine goals in total for his national team.

The Hammers star was picked by new Brazil coach Dorival Júnior, who previously managed him in ten games for Flamengo at the end of the 2018 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A season – a campaign that saw Paquetá named in the Serie A Team of the Year.

Brazil’s friendly with England will be broadcast live in the UK by Channel 4, with kick-off at 7pm GMT on Saturday 23 March.

 

Burnley